The Truth
by ShadowPrayers
Summary: Maximum Ride wakes up in The Box with no recollection of her past. She only knows three things for certain. A. Her name is Max. B. She has wings. C. She has an annoying Voice in her head. Fax will come later on. R&R is appreciated greatly.
1. Chapter 1: Greenie

**Maximum Ride and the Maze Runner collide! Hope ya'll like it. ;) Give me some feedback by pushing that little button at the bottom of the page marked 'Review'. It will make all of your wishes come true! Oh, here is the dang disclaimer. James Paterson and James Dashner own everything and I own nothing… except for a candy bar! Merry Christmas and happy New Year! ~ShadowPrayers**

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><p><strong>Max's POV<strong>

I awoke in complete darkness. Uneasiness filled me as I stood up and stumbled blindly through the dark. My outstretched hands met a chilly, metal wall. Keeping one hand on the wall, I rounded the room once, twice, three times. It was completely enclosed. There was no way out. A memory tickled the back of my mind, but it danced away as soon as I tried to grasp it.

I sunk to the ground. I had been in this sort of situation before. I couldn't recall much more than that. I just needed to keep a cool head and get my bearings. What did I do when I was in a situation like this? I collided with a mental barrier that had no nooks or crannies into which I could slip. Maybe I need to start with something simpler… like my name._ Max. _Okay, something a wee bit harder. Where am I?

_**Maximum, you must not remember until the appropriate time. I've helped you for a very long time, and I will continue to do so whether you like it or not. You used to refer to me as The Voice, and you may do so now if you wish. You have wings, Max. You must not tell anyone about these wings- no matter what. **_

**I have what? **I slipped my hand inside my baggy tee shirt and felt my back. My fingers brushed soft, downy feathers, and I suddenly felt the nerves, muscles, and tendons that linked my wings to my back and made them usable. _A voice in your head doesn't make you panic, but the fact that you have wings does?_ I purposefully taunted myself. I have wings, no biggie.

I have dealt with much worse. I can deal with t his even _if_ my memories are gone. I can deal with anything. I am Max, Maximum… I don't even know my freaking last name! I am Maximum… I climbed to my feet and screamed partly in fury and partly in frustration. I curled my hand into a fist and slammed it into the wall.

A loud bang made me land on my butt… hard. I had not realized that the room had even been moving until it was at a standstill. What level of hell was I on now? Creak! Groan! I jerked my head up. Perhaps the roof was going to cave in on me.

A brilliant white light appeared in a long strip overhead. I winced and shielded my eyes. My eyes adjusted to the light quickly and I got a good look at my surroundings for the first time. I was in a room about as big as a half bath or large walk-in closet.

A vague image of a public bathroom came to mind. It looked like any other public restroom in America. Ugh, I was going to get sick of my memories eluding me… fast. The floor and walls were dull grey. It was nothing much to look at really. I turned my head back to the ceiling. The crevice in it gradually grew larger and larger until the glorious sky was visible. I desperately wanted to flip my wings out and fly far, far away!

A brunette boy was suddenly staring down at me. He looked agitated, shocked, and slightly worried. "Oh, it's another shucking girl!" he exclaimed with a slight scowl. I searched my limited knowledge for the meaning of 'shucking'. There was a word that sounded like shuck, but it started with an f. I wondered if the meanings were the same.

"Really, I'm a girl?" I asked with a hint of bewilderment. "I thought I was a rock."

"You won't be laughing if we leave your shank butt down there overnight," the boy warned, but threw a rope down. I shimmied up the rope and collapsed onto the grass. Ah, freedom! It never tasted so sweet. Well, I guess I honestly wouldn't know what freedom tastes like since I cannot remember anything!

I stood up and looked around a very large clearing. It was at least five- maybe six- football fields long and twice as wide. About thirty boys who all appeared to be under eighteen crowded in front of me. Some of them were pushing and shoving themselves to the front of the crowd to see me.

I turned a little and saw a wall that had to be at least a few miles tall. A huge archway was just a little to my right. Thank God! I hated being closed in more than anything. I noticed the wall curved almost imperceptibly to make a big fence with assumably four of those archways. Hmm, where did they lead?

"What's your name, Greenie?"

"Max," I stated. "Where am I? What happened?"

"You're in the Glade," the boy said.

"And you are?"

"Alby. Now stop asking questions, Greenie," he ordered. "We know less than you do."

"My name is M-A-X. What does that spell? Max," I said each syllable slowly as if he were too slow to comprehend. He looked taken aback by my attitude. Good. I had a feeling that I had been mouthy before my memories were erased. If whoever erased my memories was hoping that my mouth would change they had been wrong. For that, I was glad. I wanted to make whoever erased my memories as angry as possible.

This satisfaction did not change the fact that I was confused and wanted answers. Alby obviously was not going to give them to me.

"Listen up shuck face, and listen good! I don't care if you're a girl! I don't care if you're a Greenie!" his tanned face was growing red and anger blazed in his eyes. He was screaming as he stalked closer to me. "We've all been in your position, and I don't expect to treat you any different! You here?" his face was mere centimeters from my own, and his hot breath was foul.

"Eck, would a breath mint kill you?" was my smart-aleck reply. He swung his palm towards my face, and I easily caught it. I released it just as quickly. "Didn't your Mama ever tell you it's impolite to hit a girl?" I asked.

"You'll find the rules a little different here," he growled curtly.

"Then don't I need to know the rules?" I returned and just like that, the tension between us melted. His eyes melted to a soft grey and he actually smiled.

"I'm Newt," a boy with long, shaggy blonde hair smiled at me. His eyes were the prettiest blue and his tan skin was actually unblemished. The audience that had begun to accumulate around moi disbanded and Newt called the youngest-looking kid over.

He could only be eleven maybe, just maybe twelve. His name was Chuck. He was adorable with big blue eyes and floppy blonde hair. He reminded me of someone… but whom? "Show the Gre-Max around with Thomas," Newt instructed. Hmm, he was afraid of me. That's good. I cannot let myself be ordered around by a bunch of sissy boys.

"Good that! Thomas!" Chuck bellowed. "I'm Chuck and that shuck face is Thomas," he indicated a brunette boy with dark green eyes and a rail thin figure. He seemed to be fifteen maybe sixteen.

"Are we showing the Greenie around? Whoa, another shucking girl?" Thomas sounded shocked.

"A- don't call me Greenie if you want to live another day. B- Thank God there are more girls than me."

"Actually, there's only one other girl. She arrived in The Box in a coma," Thomas helpfully supplied.

"What's The Box?" I asked with a tinge of frustration. I hated being so, so oblivious!

"The thing you arrived in. It delivers food and supplies weekly and a new Glader monthly," he explained as a boy came running towards us. His brow was coated with sweat.

"Who's he?"

"A runner named Minho. They explore the maze that surrounds us, trying to find a way out," Chuck said eagerly. He was anxious to please. "It's almost nightfall, no wonder he was in such a rush. I'd hate to be stuck out there all night."

"What do you mean?"

"We'll explain later," Thomas shrugged. "Just don't get caught out in the maze at night. Actually, we aren't allowed to be out in the maze at all if we're not a runner." _When has that ever stopped me_? The thought came to me so naturally I almost did not recognize it for what it was. It was a piece of me. A piece of my past! I struggled to look normal as I did a happy dance in my head. Finally, I was making some progress!

"So what's up with the weird words?" I asked casually.

"It's a kind of language we've developed I guess," Chuck shrugged. "You'll catch on… eventually."

"Yah, I was the Greenbean before you and that other girl showed up. It is complicated, but you will get the hang of it. That big building is the main house," Thomas pointed to the biggest building in The Glade. "We sleep right over there," Thomas pointed to a clearing where a bunch of boys were already sitting down, talking and laughing raucously. "Chuck and I will show you where to get breakfast in the morning. Good luck, Shank."

"I swear…," my threat died off as he loped off with Chuck, laughing at something the kid said. I rolled my eyes, a thousand questions bursting in my head. Why couldn't we go out in the 'Maze' at night? What did we do when it rained? Why were my memories gone? What was the point of this maze?

It was about twilight by then. I heard a loud groan and stifled a scream. What was going on? The Gladers barely glanced up as the walls began to shift. A dozen boys darted through the archways, sweat glistening on their brows. I remembered Chuck telling me they were Runners.

The shifting stone slowly covered the archway, trapping us in the Glade. Was this a nightly occurrence? My breath came in short gasps at the thought of being closed in. I couldn't handle it. Every instinct I had was screaming at me to fly far, far away.

All the boys (except for the Runners who had raced into a small building) were going to lay down in the expanse of grass Thomas had pointed out. As long as those archways were closed, I wouldn't be getting any sleep. I began to walk towards the forest, trying to calm down. It wasn't working.

As the trees enveloped me a felt a sigh escape my lips. The forest was familiar, comforting in a way. The only problem was my wings were itching to be let loose. The Voice told me not to _show/tell _anyone about my wings. It didn't specify that I couldn't fly or let them loose every occasionally.

I was pretty sure that it meant no wing action… at all. Hmm… should I listen to it? Probably. Was I going to listen to it? Probably not. Two red dots glowed for a millisecond in the trees. What in the world was that?

My ears picked up a voice whispering softly. It sounded like Alby. "That note that other shucking girl came with said there would be no more shucking newbies. What's up with that?" he sounded irritated.

"I don't know," this sounded like Newt. "Maybe The Creators are playing a mind game with us?"

"Or maybe something unexpected happened. Maybe they weren't expecting to send this Greenie in," he said eerily.

"That could be it…"

"Did you hear something?" Alby asked, and his voice drifted closer. I made a split second decision and unfurled my wings, forgetting two very important things. One: I've never flown before. Two: My baggy tee did not have slits in it. The fabric ripped and fluttered to the ground.

I frantically flapped my wings, but I wasn't getting anywhere. I gritted my teeth, my heart beating a mile per second. Those boys would not see me in my bra! I slipped my toes into nearly invinsible crevices on the tree and painstakingly pulled myself onto the lowest branch of the tree.

There was still a chance they would spot me. I grabbed the next branch and yanked myself up. I folded my wings tightly against my back and pressed myself against the tree's trunk, praying to God they wouldn't see me.

Newt and Alby walked beneath me, talking quietly about jobs I could do. When they were long gone I let out a sigh of relief. Maybe the Voice had had a point… These wings were more trouble than they were worth. I sighed, ready to face my next problem. How was I going to get another shirt?

I was **not** going back to the Glade in my bra. No boy was ever going to see me in my bra. I was too dignified for that. I climbed to the very top of the tree, and decided to give myself a little flying lesson. I could probably fly high enough that I wouldn't be seen, get into the Main House, get a shirt, and get out. If I fell at any point… well let's not think about that.

The wind was chilly against my barren skin way up here. I shivered and took a deep breath. Jump! I leapt from the tree and plummeted to the ground. At the last minute my wings caught a draft and I let a whoop of exhilaration. The beady red lights watched me, as if they were judging me. I forgot to flap my wings and dropped through the air again. I caught myself, heart pounding. Note: Don't forget to flap. It was time to get some clothes.

**What do you think? Push the Review button and I'll continue the story! ;) **

**Iggy: Want to hear a joke? **

**Me: Sure!**

**Iggy: What's the difference between roast beef and pea soup?**

**Me: Uh…Do I want to know?**

**Iggy: Anyone can roast beef, but who can pea soup? **

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	2. Chapter 2: Dinner Antics

**Second chappie up! ;) Read on reader! Please give me a review? Oh thanks to my one reviewer… **_togssg16_**! I give you a virtual cookie! ;)**

I looked down at the boys lying peacefully in the meadow. My eyes seemed to zoom in on the scene and I easily picked out Thomas and Chuck. I didn't hear any screams, so I guess that no one was awake to see me fly. My luck was holding out so far. I breathed a sigh of relief as I landed behind the main house. I quietly opened the door, and drifted inside. There had to be a place where they kept extra clothes.

The only problem was I didn't know where. I opened various doors on the first floor, but they led into vacant bedrooms and living areas. I inhaled deeply and went up the grand staircase. A small boy with dark haunted eyes and a frustrated face appeared from nowhere.

I couldn't get a good look at him because it was really dark. I doubted he could see more than an outline of me. I drew my wings tighter against my back, paranoia kicking in. "You're not allowed to be up here," the boy growled. I didn't feel too threatened.

"Well, I kinda need a shirt," I gestured to my lack thereof.

"I guess you do," he said, disgruntled, and averted his eyes from my chest. That was good. I didn't want to have to punch the daylights out of him before acquiring a shirt. He went into a room down the hall, and came back with a white tank top.

"I can't go around in a tank top," I said, trying to keep the anxiety from my voice.

"Too good for a tank top, Shank?" he sneered.

"No," I matched his tone of voice, pointedly ignoring the term Shank. I was too busy fishing for a lie. "It's just that that tank top is built for boys who don't have to worry about having," I hesitated and said, "_certain things_. That tank is cut low enough that you'll see more than I really want you to."

"Oh," he said and disappeared into that same room. I wonder how he would've acted if I'd said the word boobs. I thanked God that this boy was a prude. I was just so dog tired and didn't really want to fight anyone for trying to get a peak at my no-no rectangle.

He appeared with a blue tee and turned around as I gratefully pulled it on. It was baggy on me, but that was a good thing. It'd be easier to conceal my wings beneath a shirt as large as this.

"I'm Matt," he said softly. I looked into his dark brown eyes. I felt captured by those mesmerizing pools. They were just so dang familiar.

"Do I know you?" I asked softly.

"No, never seen you in my life…" he trailed off. A piercing scream made me flinch. Matt took off running. I guess he wasn't supposed to be up here. A few boys went running from one room to the room where the scream came from.

"What are you doing up here?" one boy paused beside me. He looked livid. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"Uh…"

"Get your greenie butt out of here, and let the professionals do the work," the boy snapped. I laughed.

"Professional?" I snorted in a very un-girlish fashion. Heck, what did I care?

"We're all the Glade's got," he replied, and went into the room. The boy told me to leave. What do I do? I go into the room where the scream had come from.

A girl about fourteen years old lay on a bed, brown curls falling over her shoulders. Her eyes were shut lightly in the peace of sleep. She didn't look like she had been screaming. "I told you to leave!" the boy growled.

"Make me," I put my hands on my hips. The girl's eyes suddenly snapped open and fell on me.

"Where am I? Who are you?" she asked automatically.

"You're in the Glade. We're med-jacks. I'm Clint," the boy said. "Who are you?"

"Teresa," she murmured. Something on her arm caught my attention. Without vision as good as mine, I would've never seen it. In pen were the words 'WICKED is good.' What was WICKED? She swung her legs over the bed and stood up.

She began to walk towards the door. The boys tried to get her to lie back down, but she was adamant.

"No, I don't want to be in here any longer!" she growled at the so-called 'med-jacks'. I liked this girl's style. Her gaze fell upon me. "Who **are** you?" she frowned slightly.

"Max," I replied, sizing her up. I could take her if I really needed to.

"You shouldn't be here," she said, bewilderment painting her face.

"Well, I don't _want_ to be here," I snapped.

"Well, leave," Clint pushed me from the room, "now."

"Can't I stay for the cake?" I asked as he practically dragged me downstairs.

"What cake?" he queried, befuddled.

"You weren't told about the ice cream cake they were going to have when Teresa woke up?" I gaped at him in shock, trying to hide a smirk.

"Okay, shank, get to bed," Clint said and shoved me out of the Main House very unceremoniously.

"My name is…" I began, but he slammed the door shut on me. Hmm, that went well.

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><p>"Max," someone whispered. I felt a hand touch my shoulder and I jerked away wicked fast. I was in a defensive position before I was halfway awake. "Whoa!" I blinked and saw Thomas rapidly retreating.<p>

"Oh," I wiped my eyes and fluidly stood up. I didn't do apologies. I quickly glanced at the archways. They were completely open. It was as if we'd never been enclosed in the first place.

I felt most of my tension fade away from the previous night. I struggled to hold in a yawn. I hadn't gotten much sleep.

"It's time for breakfast," Chuck said as he came bouncing over. My stomach grumbled very loudly and the boys burst into laughter. I soon joined. 'Feed me! Feed me!' my tummy complained.

"Shank," I shot Thomas a pointed glare, and he quickly backtracked, "er, …"

"You've forgotten my name haven't you?" I bit my lip to withhold a smirk.

"I have," Thomas tried to smile apologetically, but I knew he wasn't really sorry.

"Well, I do see some blonde at your roots," I teased, carefully inspecting his hair. "It's Max."

Before Thomas could say anything else, Chuck took off towards a medium sized building near the center of the Glade. I was on his heels, eager to fill my belly. As we walked in, I realized the building was exactly like a cafeteria.

There were dozens of tables set up all. Most of the tables were occupied with Gladers who were eating and chattering away. On the far side of the cafeteria was a long bar.

The left section of the bar was designated for dirty dishes and the right was where you collected clean dishes. In-between the left and right section a boy was serving food from a huge silver pot.

I trailed behind Chuck and Thomas as they each grabbed a grey bowl and spoon. I mimicked their movements as they walked up to the boy.

"I'm Frypan," the boy grinned as he dumped puke into Thomas then Chuck's bowl. I think I was going to throw up myself. I nodded and let him dump the puke into my bowl. More Gladers trickled into the cafeteria, crowding it to near capacity.

I fought my way through the onslaught of people and darted outside. I was very claustrophobic and very hungry. Those two things don't mix well- at all. I hunkered down at the base of a tree, and, despite my misgivings, ate what turned out to be oatmeal in ten seconds flat. I was still hungry.

I didn't care how hungry I was. I wasn't going back into the mess hall. My knees popped as I stood up, and waited for the mess hall to clear out a little.

The boys took their good time, gradually filtering out and separating to do various jobs. I was about to go into the mess hall to discard my bowl when Alby came up to me. This was going to be fun (note the sarcasm).

"Why aren't you doing your job shank?" Alby barked at me. I felt my face harden, and Alby flinched slightly under my stare.

I adopted a patronizing tone as I said, "There's a little thing called a name, _shank_. Since you haven't heard me the last thousand times I'll say it again. My name is Max." I could tell I was skating on thin ice. What can I say? "And you haven't given me a job."

"Okay, let's see how you do at the blood house," Alby said as a red light flashed overhead. I bit my lip. I honestly didn't want to ask Alby what it was. "That's a beetle blade. We figure the Creators are watching us from them," Alby said casually, but his face was tense. I suppressed a shudder. I didn't like it any better than he did.

"Oh, right, the blood house," he showed me to the blood house.

Apparently, I'd be hacking apart some hapless piggy. Eh, it makes bacon and ham doesn't it? Okay, so that was mean, but still. The good Lord must've put pigs on this Earth for a reason. We've got to get calcium (or whatever it is you get from pig) somehow.

A boy about seventeen talked with Alby for a minute. Finally, he walked over to me with a skeptical look on his face. "I'm Winston, Keeper of the Blood House. I don't think you can handle…" before he even finished his sentence I snorted.

Before I could stop myself, I muttered under my breath, "Sexist pig." If he'd heard my snide comment he didn't show it.

"Okay, to skin a dead animal you have to…" he produced a knife and showed me a bunch of complicated ways to go about removing the organs. I zoned out after a few minutes. "Now, I'll let you try it on this pig. It doesn't have much meat on it's bones, so it won't be too devastating if you mess up."

I nodded and took the clean knife he handed me. I froze as I realized I hadn't listened to a word Winston had said. I was screwed unless I thought something up… fast.

I positioned the knife over the pgs stomach and instinct took over. I made a clean slit down it's stomach. The knife was sharp and only a little blood leaked onto my hands. I set the bloody knife aside. You don't need to hear all the gory details. I don't want you throwing up on me.

Winston looked impressed and had me do various odd jobs all day. By the time dinner rolled around I was starved. I'd had a ham sandwich for lunch. Apparently, my calorie intake was much different from the boys. As soon as Winston let me go for dinner I raced to the mess hall place.

I was almost the first there. Newt, Thomas, Chuck, and a few people I didn't know were already eating inside. I barreled to Frypan with a bowl, and he gave me a spoonful of soup. It barely filled the bowl halfway.

Were they trying to starve me? "A little bit more?" I asked.

"One spoonful per bowl," he said seriously. Alright… one spoonful _per bowl_… I grabbed another bowl and held it out for him. "You're kidding me… right?" he laughed.

"Nope," I popped my 'p'.

"Then let me rephrase that. No extras!"

"Fine," I said and took a sip from my bowl. I made a face and dumped it on his head before stalking off. Tonight was going to be fun.

**I love reviews. I eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Are you going to starve me? I hope not!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Maze

**Here's my third chappie! Hmm, I like the word chappie. togssg16 and ****AnikaandAj** ** are currently my two favorite people on fanfiction! Thank ya'll for your reviews! I give you… a face thingy: -^.^- BTW I haven't read the Maze Runner in a while. I realize that Teresa didn't wake up until much later. The plot is a little mixed up. I'm sorry if the Maze Runner characters appear a little out of character. I'll try to put them back into character. I don't own anything, so on with the story! ;) **

I watched the sky's light slowly fade to a dull combination of pinks and yellows. An image of a vivid sunset popped up into my mind. I wondered what a sunset looked like in the world outside of the maze; did it look more like the image my mind had fabricated or the image I saw now?

A series of panicked whispers jerked me from my thoughts. I noticed that most of the boys had gathered around the north gate, concern etched on each of their faces. I strained my ears and caught small snippets of their conversations. From what I gathered, Alby and some other kid (I think his name was Minho) had gone into the maze during dinner. The Minho kid had found a dead Griever- whatever that was. I assumed that a dead 'Griever' was a very rare occurrence by the way the boys spoke about it.

Suddenly, I caught the reason why they were so worried. The gates were about to close for the night. My first thought was a thought of panic. The gates are going to close again! My second was, 'Why are the kids so worried?'

A cheer rose through the crowd. Ah, the boys had returned. The dreaded grating of the moving walls surrounded me. I fought my way to the front of the crowd to see Alby and Minho limping frantically towards the closing entryway.

Not one soul dared to venture out of the Glade to aid them. They weren't going to make it without help. I bit my lip, warring with myself. Simultaneously, Thomas and I darted through the gate. "You are shucking idiots!" Minho gasped angrily as he practically dragged Alby towards the gate. I got on the other side of Alby, easily supporting his weight. Alby moved quicker with my assistance, but it was to no avail.

With an ominous echo the gate sealed shut for the night. Without the light from the Glade spilling into the maze everything was dark and concealed with shadows. My eyes were unadjusted and couldn't make sense of my surroundings. I could barely make out Alby and Minho's figures in the yawning darkness. Perhaps this was for the best. Perhaps the maze was better than The Glade.

"There has to be another way in," Thomas said desperately from somewhere in the shadows. As my eyes slowly grew accustomed to the darkness I realized we were surrounded by walls. My breath hitched as panic settled in. It was worse than in The Glade. Claustrophobia consumed me. The walls were way too close to me. Fear flashed through me though I didn't know why.

"We're dead!" Minho wailed desolately, oblivious to my panic. "We're dead!" Oh, he has such a cheery outlook on things! This thought helped me regain my composure. It was easy to suppress my panic with sarcasm.

"Is that so?" I snorted. "I've never heard of anyone dying from being trapped in a maze for one night."

"There's a reason why we aren't allowed out in the maze," Minho said darkly. I heard a strange whirring and sucking sound. Thomas and Minho turned white as sheets as Alby moaned quietly.

"What's that?" I murmured.

"That is a Griever," Minho looked really shaky. "The only way out of this is if we split up," Minho propped Alby's nearly lifeless body against the wall. "I hope I see you tomorrow," Minho said before running away from the Griever's noise. Gee, thanks! Ditch us to save your own hide why don't you?

"Shucking immature deserter," I muttered. I looked at Thomas who was tugging at the vines that dangled from the maze wall. "Do you think they can climb?" I asked Thomas. He shrugged as he began tying Alby to a vine. That was going to take forever! The sucking and whirring noise intensified as Thomas tentatively tugged on the ivy then began to scale it.

A few vines fell away from the wall and he slipped before cursing softly. Finally, he got himself slightly higher than Alby. A big, misshapen blob rounded the corner as Thomas began to tug Alby's nearly lifeless body higher. It was uglier than anything I'd ever seen (granted what I'd seen was limited). It reminded me of another creature; a creature I'd fought in another lifetime. I just couldn't place my finger on what that creature was.

"Crap!" Thomas grunted. "Are you coming?" I knew what I'd have to do if we were all going to live another day. Thomas may be strong, but he wasn't going to be quick enough to rescue Alby. I remembered what my voice had told me, but I didn't really care. My voice was nonexistent right now, and if I didn't get myself in the air I'd be nonexistent. All of these facts didn't mean I wanted to do it.

I inhaled deeply and flipped my wings out. I so liked being trapped in the Glade better than I did in the maze. I wondered if I should have even tried to save Alby and Minho's butts in the first place. Then, I wouldn't be in this situation. Why do I always seem to find myself in these situations? Wait, how did I know I was always in these situations…

**Focus, Max.**

_Yeah, yeah. _

"What the…" Alby muttered almost unintelligibly. Thomas glanced down as the Griever sluggishly advanced. He almost relinquished his hold on the vines as he gaped at my wings. I sucked in a breath as the Griever drew nearer to me. It was less than three feet from my left wing. I leapt into the air unthinkingly and forced my wings down then up. There were no air currents and this was the first time I'd ever tried to take off from the ground.

It was tedious work, but I quickly rose to Thomas' height. Thomas stopped gaping and passed Alby to me. I noticed a set of glowing red eyes gazing at me. The Beetle Blades were watching me and Thomas. "I'll be back," I snapped as the Griever began to attach itself to the wall. "Try not to get yourself killed!"

Thomas nodded shortly as I began to fly higher and higher. I rose up until I was slightly higher than the wall of the maze. I could see the Glade from my vantage point. Yes!

**Max, don't! **The Voice warned me.

_Don't what? _I asked it as I angled myself to fly over the wall… OW! I shrieked as my wings crumpled. Alby and I plummeted about twenty feet before I managed to snap my wings out. Ouch. Note to self: don't snap wings out too fast. Okay, so there was an invisible wall preventing me from entering the Glade. Man, if I ever got my hands on the Creators… Well, let's just say they'd be thirty feet under eating dirt and worms!

**I warned you. **The Voice supplied helpfully. It almost sounded like it was trying to suppress a laugh.

_Yah, right when I did it!_ I snapped. The Voice was silent. What was I going to do now? Alby was getting pretty heavy and my wings weren't used to flying for long amounts of time. Eventually, I was going to hit the ground. I glided around, trying to find a secure place to land for a few moments. I saw Minho artfully running through the maze. He seemed to have it perfectly memorized.

He turned a corner, never pausing. I followed him as he slowed and rested against a wall. Minutes later he was up and running again. Man, that kid had some endurance! At least he was still alive. That had to count for something.

I landed where Minho had paused and leaned the unconscious Alby against the wall. My arms burned from having to support his weight for such a long period of time. I rested for about five minutes before I heard an all too familiar sound. Suck! Whir! Suck! Whir!

It was a sickening noise that made me spring to my feet. I gathered Alby into my arms and took off without hesitation. The take-off was nearly flawless this time. I was getting better at it! I flew aimlessly around the maze, resting every now and then until I heard the Grievers draw near.

By the time the sun began to rise I was exhausted yet triumphant. I'd survived a night in the maze! I landed clumsily in front of the north gate as it began to grind open. I staggered and almost fell to my knees. I was barely able to support Alby let alone myself. At the last minute I remembered to fold my wings into my shirt again. I didn't have the strength to press them tightly against my spine so they hung loosely beneath the baggy shirt. I doubted anyone would notice.

Finally, the gate made a gap wide enough to slip through. I slid through, pulling Alby with me. I leaned against the ivy entwined walls, closing my eyes slightly. The night had taken it's toll on me.

"Alby and that greenie chick are back!" a boy shouted.

"They survived the maze?" someone whispered. Other murmurs of apprehension rose in the air as Alby let out a bloodcurdling shriek. I heard someone race towards us. Alby's breathing was labored. Was he really going to die after all that work I'd gone through to make sure he lived? Really?

"He's been stung! Get him to the Homestead stat!" someone yelled and there was the sound of pounding feet. I let myself slide to the ground and sighed. My life just couldn't be easy.

"Don't be dead," I murmured softly.

"Are you alright?" Chuck's timid voice came to me. My eyes snapped open and I saw a look of awe mixed with fear and uncertainty in his eyes.

"Yeah, never better! I'm just tired!" I forced my voice to sound upbeat. I felt drained and so, so tired.

"Okay," he said reluctantly. "Do you know where Tho-"

"Thomas and Alby are back too!" a kid shrieked. Cheers rose up. I noticed that one boy just frowned and turned away. What was his problem? Whatever. I'd find out later. I'd have to hunt Thomas down later and threaten him within an inch of his life. No one could know about my wings. But, right now, a patch of soft grass was calling my name…

**Voila! It is complete! Sorry, I might be updating few and far between for a little while. School and cheerleading takes up alot of time... Thanks for the reviews and keep them up. I really like to hear your opinions. The computer keeps saying ain't isn't in the dictionary, but ain't is a word! Hmm, sometimes I wonder about Microsoft… **


	4. Chapter 4: WICKED

**Yes, I'm a very bad girl. i haven't updated in forever, but I am now. I really wish some ppl would review. it's kinda depressing. Oh well! I guess that's what i get for not updating in forever. I'll give you all a free virtual cookie! Cheerleading and family problems have been getting in my way, and they may do so for a while. Well, here ya go!**

Unknown POV

Yes, I'm a very bad girl. i haven't updated in forever, but I am now. I really wish some ppl would review. it's kinda depressing. Oh well! I guess that's what i get for not updating in forever. I'll give you all a free virtual cookie! Cheerleading and family problems have been getting in my way, and they may do so for a while. Well, here ya go!

Unknown POV

A thin, wiry man stood before a screen, riveted by the scenes playing out before him. He couldn't believe that the experiment had already gotten itself into so much trouble. He'd heard all sorts of rumors about the experiment, but had put them off as hearsay… until now.

He didn't care how rebellious the experiment was; it was amazing. He was glad that Batchedlor had convinced WICKED to accept it into the program. Well, he wasn't really supposed to consider the experiment an it anymore. When WICKED took him (and a good quarter of Itex's staff) on, they laid down some ground rules. The experiments would be called by the name that had been chosen for them.

"Maximum Ride," he muttered softly, trying the word out. It felt weird to refer to the experiment with a title, but in a good way. He was glad that the experiment had earned a name. It meant she wouldn't have to endure any more testing by his hands.

He really hoped that Maximum didn't screw the test results up… or fail. Many scientist who had worked with Maximum at Itex said she should be immune to The Flare, but the WICKED scientist weren't revealing the exact results. It was all speculation for now. They still didn't trust the Itex scientist, and for good reason too. He knew The Director expected too much from Maximum Ride. She fully expected Maximum to make it out completely unscathed. He doubted that.

Maximum had a way of searching out trouble, as was obvious so far. She would probably have more than a few injuries when the experiment was said and done. He sighed and turned away from the screen. The other bird children were probably getting hungry. Three of them wouldn't even participate in this experiment. The WICKED scientist were planning something else for them, though he wasn't sure what. He hated being left in the dark so much.

He really hoped it wouldn't cause the children too much harm. Ah, how good it felt to even think of them as children and not experiments! He fought the urge to smile as he walked out of the room. Maybe things were going to actually get better…

**Kind of a let down, but it's late and IDK! I have a block in my brain. I know how you can get it out, review with some ideas! :) **


	5. Chapter 5: Threats

**Okay people. I haven't updated in two months. I'm REALLY sorry. My parents are going through a divorce and I've been dealing with A LOT of issues. I **_**PROMISE**_** I'll update a lot more frequently though. I thank all the people who have diligently reviewed. PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! Then you wouldn't have this chappie! Positives! :)**** Anyways, here you go!**

Max's POV

It was almost dinnertime when I awoke. The first thing I felt was hunger. Then, my thoughts drifted to last night, in the maze… HOLY CRAP! I scrambled to my feet, panic flooding my systems. I had to find Thomas and Alby! If they told anyone about my wings…

I shook my head, and decided to try the cafeteria-place first. Perhaps dinner had already started. If so, I could kill three birds with one stone… or was the saying two birds? Ah well. For my intents and purposes, it would have to be three.

I went into the 'cafeteria' only to find it deserted. Crapola. What if they were having a meeting about my wings? What if they were conspiring to throw me into the maze, or, worse, rip my wings off? If that were the case then I'd take a couple of them with me. Maximum… doesn't go down without a fight!

I sighed and left the cafeteria. My stomach urged me to turn around, go to the kitchen, and get food. My tummy would have to wait. Conveniently, a boy carrying a bucket of water walked by me. He could tell me where those boys were.

"Hey," I said offhandedly, trying to affect a sweet, innocent tone. It didn't work as well as I'd hoped.

"What, Greenie?" the boy asked me rudely. Why, that little…

"Could you tell me where Alby or Thomas is?"

"Alby is Changing and I think Thomas was taken to the Meeting. What's it to you?"

I shrugged in reply. The boy gave me a look before sauntering off with his bucket. So far, most of the boys I'd met in the Glade were rude, sexist sissies.

I shook my head, and began looking around the Glade. I didn't want to go to Alby when he was changing… My only option was to hunt down Thomas. Where would I have a super-secret-meeting? Hmm… There were quite a few ramshackle buildings that had no apparent purpose in the Glade. I chose the one closest to the woods, farthest from the Main House.

I darted to the building and hesitated for a split second outside the door. I could hear people talking about something. It sounded like tempers were starting to rise. Even if I were human, I would've been able to hear the men's shouts. Why did guys have so much testosterone?

I carefully listened as they discussed the girl, Teresa. Apparently, they weren't certain about her loyalty or whatever. Then, they talked about Thomas and me going AWOL to save Alby and Minho_. Now we get to the good stuff_. I thought. Apparently, we were both going to be thrown into the Slammer tomorrow. I didn't like the sound of that.

Perhaps they weren't going to broach the subject of my wings after all… I suddenly spotted Thomas on the other side of the Glade. Wait, he wasn't even at the meeting! I did a little happy dance inside my head before striding towards Thomas.

"We need to talk," I said roughly, skipping all the formalities. He looked startled.

"What about?"

"You can't tell anyone!" I whispered fiercely.

"What?" he looked confused. Did I have to spell it out for him?

"About the wings!" I almost screamed. Understanding slowly dawned on his face. Finally, I'd gotten through that thick head of his!

"Why?" he asked.

"If you breathe a word about my wings… well, the Grievers will look like shucking babies compared to me!" I threatened. He didn't look very scared. If threats didn't work, maybe a good punch would?

**Maximum, force isn't the only way to obtain what you seek. **The Voice nagged like a parent.

_Well, I'm not going to __**beg**__ him to keep his trap shut. _I responded vigorously.

**Asking someone nicely always helps. **The Voice responded helpfully.

_Okay, Dad! _I replied sarcastically.

The Voice didn't respond. Typical. I sighed, rolled my shoulders as if I were about to face a million Erasers at once, and said, "Please, don't tell them, Thomas."

"I won't," he nodded reassuringly. That's when it hit me. I'd just thought something about Erasers, with a capital E. I hadn't been thinking about the little pink caps on pencils; I'd been thinking about something else entirely. I searched my mind for an image of an **E**raser. All that came to mind was the erasers you use when you want to erase something on a piece of paper. So close yet so far away! I almost growled in frustration.

The supper bell rang and my stomach suddenly remember that it was STARVING. I didn't trust Thomas completely, but his word would have to do for now. I needed some sort of substance in my stomach or I might just keel over and die. Frypan **would** feed me the amount of food I needed even if I had to roundhouse kick his butt into next week. With this resolve in mind, I walked to the cafeteria-place with Thomas by my side. I needed to keep an eye on him…

* * *

><p>"Slinthead!" a boy yelled angrily as I happily chomped on the food that Frypan had reluctantly given me. After a few threats, a well placed punch, and a lot of bugging, Frypan had finally relented on my meal portions. I sat outside, enjoying the final rays of sunlight and, more importantly, space.<p>

"Slim it!" Newt yelled, intervening in what would have been a pretty good fight to watch. The language the boys used still confused me most of the time. I was assuming 'slinthead' meant idiot or some other derogatory term. I also assumed that 'slim it' meant calm down or shut up.

That was all I could do right now… assume. None of the boys were very forthcoming about their language and rules. They were even less willing to talk about our tainted memories. It was tremendously aggravating. I mean, I'd been there four days, and the only word I could use really well was shucking. This was mostly due to the fact that it sounded a lot like another word…

The term shank was the only other one I really knew. It always confused me because (from what I recalled) a shank was a sharp, crude tool used as a knife. The Gladers seem to use the term in an affectionate, sometimes condescending way. I had no clue what it could mean though.

After dinner, when the Gladers began to head towards the clearing where we slept, I slipped into the woods. It was almost peaceful in there. I inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent of the trees and dark, musty things. As I ventured deeper, I flipped my wings out, sighing with pleasure. It was a pain to have to keep them tucked in for so long. They were meant to be stretched out, lifting me high into the sky.

I reflected on my escapade last night. I was glad I'd cut slits into the shirt after I obtained it. It was probably the best decision I had made so far. Now, I could maneuver my wings in and out of sight without worrying about my shirt. I blinked and caught sight of movement up ahead.

I swiftly tucked my wings away as a girl came into sight. It was the only other girl in the Glade… Teresa. She was murmuring softly to herself, and I could only catch bits and phrases. "Why… Thomas… Girl…WICKED wouldn't… remember… need to…"

Her head jerked up and she met my gaze evenly. I had to give the girl some props. She didn't seem like a sissy and she stood her ground pretty well. A Beetle Blade stared at me with it's beady red eyes from the tree canopy. It skittered down the trunk until it was eye level with me.

Oh! I had the perfect idea! If the Creators really watched us through the Beetle Blades then they would _**love**_ this. I smiled sardonically as I raised my fist at the tiny metal bug. It didn't move from it's spot. I deliberately lifted one finger in salute to the bug and Creators.

Perhaps the electronic creature couldn't register the meaning of my salute, but the Creators could and would. It was a small, insignificant way of rebelling against them and their games, but, really, what else could I do? I couldn't starve myself. That was redundant. I couldn't kill someone else. That was cruel and probably what they wanted. This whole 'Maze' was doubtlessly an experiment to see how well we could cope psychologically.

"You shouldn't do that," Teresa said intently. Maybe I was wrong about her kick butt attitude?

"They deserve it," I replied.

"No, I have a feeling that they're trying to help," Teresa said.

"By locking us up in an unsolvable maze? I can totally see how that helps!" I smiled falsely.

"Never mind," she sighed, fiddling with a stick.

"How do you know so much?"

"I think they wanted me to remember some, just not everything. I don't know why. I better get going," she muttered before standing up and walking away. Strange girl. Strange girl.

As soon as she was out of earshot, I set my wings free again. I jumped up and flapped them once, twice. I gripped a sturdy branch and tucked my wings in as I swung myself onto it. I leaned against the trunk and easily drifted off into the realm of dreams…

**Okay, AGAIN I am so so so so so so so so so so sorry to my readers. I am posting this and two other chapters tonight. I hope to make amends with you. Please keep reading! ~ Shadowprayers **


	6. Chapter 6: A Different Perspective

**As promised, here is the sixth chapter tonight! The Flock are getting a little mad about being excluded, so perhaps they'll be making their debut soon… We'll have to see… Cue the creepy music… Read on and review!**

Fang's POV

I stared at the ceiling from the top of the bunk bed, wishing it away. We'd been here a little over two months, and I was about to go _**insane**_. I hadn't seen or heard from any of the girls in _weeks_. I was worried that something had happened to them.

I couldn't go there. They'd be fine. Max could fight her way out of **any **situation, no matter what you faced her with. Nudge was admittedly a chatterbox, but she was a pretty good fighter too. The only one I wasn't overly worried about was Angel. She was a mind controlling devil when she wanted to be. At least, that's what I tried to tell myself.

"Gazzy!" Iggy complained from across the room. I was well out of range of Gazzy's internal bomb. I couldn't help but snicker. It was covered by Gazzy's own raucous laughter. I sat up and raked my hand through my hair out of habit. The stupid scientist had cut it a few days after they'd brought us here.

It hadn't grown much since, and that fact aggravated the crap out of me. They'd also taken away my black ensemble and given me a couple pair of standard blue jeans, a few **_white_ **tees, and a good pair of **_white_** sneakers. Gazzy and Iggy had received clothes along the same lines.

I didn't know if these scientist were better or worse than the ones at Itex. The Itex scientist were naïve, feeble minded children compared to these people. While Itex had tortured and experimented on us, they had seriously underestimated our ability to endure and escape. Here, the scientist understood that we were cunning, escape artists.

Henceforth, they'd made it virtually impossible to escape this room. There were no windows here and the door was operated from the hallway only. They wielded these big Taser things when they removed you from the room.

They hurt like crap. I should know. I've been shocked by them more than once. The good part was that we actually got fed and we weren't subjected to horrendous experiments… that I know of. I sighed, thinking of the girls. I hoped they weren't being tortured mercilessly.

I closed my eyes, letting a single tear fall. "Where are you?" I whispered softly, intending it for the one girl who'd ever stolen my heart.

Angel's POV

I sat cross legged on my bed, reading a book Jeb had given me yesterday. It was an older book, by Nicholas Sparks. I didn't care how old it was, that man was a g-e-n-i-u-s. 'The Guardian' (what I held in my hands) was amazing. I laid the book down, and impatiently stood up in my room.

Nudge, Max, and I had started out sharing this room. About a month ago, they took Max away. I was worried about her. She was like a mom to me. I couldn't tell if she was okay because I couldn't read anyone's thoughts. Somehow, they scientist had figured out how to put a block on my power. I sighed restlessly.

About a week ago they'd taken my Nudgie away. I'd heard snippets of conversation about her, but that was it. I couldn't really do anything about it. Those men had these BIG guns that acted like tasers... only a million times worse. I thought they almost killed Max when they shocked her with one of the guns.

Jeb stepped into the room with a man that looked like a rat. I liked to refer to him as 'Rat Man' because he'd never told me his name. How rude was that?

"Jeb," I said coolly, putting on a mask like Max had taught me.

"Angel, honey, how are you doing?" Jeb asked gently, sitting on my bed. I stepped away immediately.

"Fine, considering the fact that I'm being held _captive." _I smiled ever so sweetly.

"Angel, this is for your own good. The world has drastically changed. The Flare has ravaged the land, infecting everyone and everything in it's path."

"Then, why don't you have it?" I asked. Liar, liar, pants on fire.

"Because I'm immune to it," he explained softly. Rat Man looked at his watch impatiently, hinting that they were on a schedule. "Would you like to follow me?"

"Nope," I popped the 'p', remembering how Nudge had taught me that trick.

"If you don't come willingly then we will use force," Rat Man said coldly.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," I muttered, hands held up in surrender. "Calm down... Rat Man."

Jeb's eyes bulged and a vein became prominant on Rat Man's forehead. I'd hit a nerve. Good. I skipped ahead of the two men, humming softly, acting like any other seven year old in the world... As if. I shook my head as I waited for the men to catch up, like they knew I would. I sighed. I hated that they controlled me. I absolutely hated it.

**I hope I've satisfied you for the night. I'm about to drop dead. I feel so guilty though! I know how annoying it can be when authors don't update. I apologize for that. As I explained in the last chapter… there's been a lot going on. Please continue to read. I will post sooner…. Happy Summer! Shadow Prayers**


	7. Chapter 7: The Slammer

**Here's some more Max. I hope that little tidbit with the Flock was enough because I have something… special planned for Nudgie. Just wait and see! :p Oh, how I love the suspense! ****I don't think I've disclaimed the story yet. I'd hate to be sued. I DON'T own the Maze Runner or Maximum Ride series. That is ALL James Dashner and James Paterson. I DO own any OCs that you may see! Without further ado, r****ead on! **

**Max's POV**

"Shanks, hurry it up!" Newt called from up ahead. It was just after breakfast, and Newt was directing Thomas and I to the 'Slammer'. According to Newt, our slinthead stunt was grounds for much worse than a day in the 'Slammer.' I didn't see how saving _two _people's lives constituted any form of punishment, but I guess that was just me.

I zeroed in on our destination when we were a couple feet away. Oh, there was no way in…

"It's just for a day," Newt assured us, interrupting my train of thought before it could get explicit. "You'll get lunch and dinner in here."

"I am NOT going in there," I growled, glaring at the tiny building. I bet I couldn't even lay down in that thing. How were two people going to fit? Plus, there were metal bars (BARS!) on the door and single window. No way, no how!

"It's either a day in here or another night out there," Newt said coolly, indicating the Maze.

"I think I'd rather take my chances," I said. Newt shook his head and pushed me into the room before I could understand what he was doing. Thomas quickly followed though reluctance shown bright in his eyes.

I darted towards the door, my one salvation. Thomas grabbed my arm, making me pause, and the door shut. I felt panic creep into my system. The walls were too close. Thomas was too close. I couldn't breathe in here. I took a deep breath, trying to think of the positives. All I could think was 'Bird kid + small room = death'.

Thomas sat down in a tattered old chair, the only furniture in the room, watching as I jerked on the metal bars that covered the window. It was to no avail. I probably wouldn't fit through the window anyway. Next, I went to the door. I kicked and beat at it with all my might. Somehow, that door wasn't as fragile as it appeared. Neither were the walls, for that matter.

"Give me your chair," I ordered Thomas. He looked startled.

"It won't do any good. If we break out of here we'll be thrown into the Maze. It isn't like they throw you in the shucking Maze, you survive, and then shucking come back the next day. They tie you to a rig they have and put you out there. The rules are in place for a reason… Max."

"So, you save a life, you die?" I asked with raised eyebrows. Talking to him was the only thing keeping me sane right then. I didn't want to concentrate on how close those walls were…

"You know I don't mean that, Sticks! I wanted to help shucking Alby and Minho just as much as you did. I don't agree with their buggin' rules, but I can't really say anything against them. So, slim it about bein here."

"I hate tight spaces," I murmured, pulling at my hair. I couldn't stand to be here. I leaned against the wall, closed my eyes, and imagined myself a million miles away. I imagined I was high in the sky, flying away from this place. I don't know when my thoughts turned into a dream, but they eventually did.

_I was sitting by a campfire, in the middle of the woods. There were about seven people around the fire too. Every time I tried to get a good look at their faces they became indistinct. I took the meat a male figure passed to me and quickly ate it. I was still hungry, but the worst of the hunger was gone._

_One by one the figures began to retreat from the fire. I assumed they were going to sleep. Eventually, I was the only one who remained near the fire. I was suddenly aware that someone else was near the fire, but I couldn't remember the who or the why. I felt a prickling at the back of my neck and turned. A boy with dark brown eyes and shaggy black hair gazed at me over his laptop, a small smile on his lips…._

"Max! Haven't you had enough sleep? Lunch was almost two or three hours ago."

"Guess not!" I snapped. "Where's the food?"

"I ate it all…" he smirked.

"You did not!" I said.

"Here you go," he offered me my **small** portion. I groaned. Frypan was back to being a slinthead about my meal portions. (_Is that how you use it? _I wondered.) I practically inhaled it all. "Wow," Thomas murmured.

"I was hungry," I said simply. Thomas and I talked a little bit, but time still seemed to be at a standstill. I couldn't stand being in this stupid box! Newt had better get his butt to us soon! In that moment, I was considering ripping him apart! After forever and a decade, Newt finally approached the 'Slammer'. It'd taken on a very new meaning for me.

He slowly unlocked the door and opened it for us. I dashed outside like I'd never seen the sun before. It was so glorious! I gulped the air, glad for the space. Newt looked at me quizzically

"What's wrong with her?" he murmured to Thomas.

"She's really claustrophobic," Thomas replied. After I'd gotten my fill of space, I rounded on Newt.

"You are a shucking slinthead, you _Insert Multiple Choice Words Here_!" I shouted at him, jabbing my finger into his chest. I balled my hand up into a fist, about to let it fly.

**Max, violence doesn't solve everything. **

_I'm tired of your fortune cookie crap! And, frankly, I DON'T care! _

**Consider your actions wisely. **It replied. I dropped my fist.

"This isn't over," I whispered, and stalked off.

"She reminds me of Gally; she's quick with her fists," Newt said softly, not intending for me to hear. Whatever….

* * *

><p>On my fourth day (the day after the Slammer incident) I was assigned my job. I would work in the Blood house. Thomas, on the other hand, was given the position of Runner. I didn't really mind that he got to go out into the Maze; hacking poor animals apart was more my style. Winston was impressed with how well I cut up the animal and even how I killed it. I wasn't like most rookies, apparently.<p>

"You're pretty shucking good, Greenie," Winston said to me, using Greenie almost affectionately. He was almost like an older brother to me. It was hard to remember that Winston wasn't much older than I. Most of the boys around here seemed to be older than they actually were.

"How long have you been here?" I asked softly. I didn't know what it was about Winston, but he made me feel safe. You know, like your Dad made you feel safe when you were young and afraid of monsters. He made me feel comfortable, like he was the older brother I may have once had.

"Almost two years," he answered immediately. "The Glade began about two years ago. A bunch of boys dumped into a clearing, clueless. I bet no one's told you about it, have they?" he laughed, but his voice had a hard, cruel edge to it.

"No," I said. "It get's kind of aggravating."

"If you have any questions, you can ask me," Winston ruffled my hair. "Now, c'mon. We have some work to get done before lunch."

Remember how I told you the boys here were sissies? Well, I might have been a tiny bit wrong. The boys at the Blood house could hack apart an animal's body without so much as flinching. I sighed as I took my knife and carefully removed the cow's internal organs. If one of them burst then it would be a mess.

Winston wasn't anywhere nearby. He knew that I knew what I was doing. I smiled. Winston was someone I trusted, as crazy as that sounds. After I finished turning the cow into strips of meat, I washed it's blood from my hands. I went to Winston and asked him what else I could do.

"Well, the pigs and cows are fed… Chickens have feed… Sloppers are mucking the stalls… I guess you could have some free time before lunch. Afterwards, I expect you to be hard at work," he winked at me. I shook my head and darted towards my sanctuary… the woods.

* * *

><p>After about ten minutes I stumbled across the saddest thing I had ever seen. The thought that one could actually die in the Glade had never occurred to me before. Now, I realized how stupid and naïve I'd been. Sickness, accidents, and murder could happen… even here.<p>

I knelt beside a roughly made cross, and read the inscription. _Nic. 1 yr. 1 m. Never go down the Box shaft. _I noticed a bit of color, and realized something was beneath the leaves at the base of the cross. I cleared the leaves away and jumped back, startled. Perfectly reserved in a glass container was a body… or, rather, half a body. I closed my eyes, trying to clear the image from my mind. What kind of sickos would **do** that to a teenage boy? I wished death on them instantly.

I stood up and went from one headstone to the next, reading the name and the cause of death. I felt a pang, deep within my heart, for these boys. Before you readers have a heart attack, yes, I can feel! I knew none of the boys in the Glade were over eighteen years old. I doubted the boys in the ground were any older. Their lives had been stolen from them in the prime of their youth.

I stalked away from the cemetery, trying to suppress my anger. I needed to save it for when I came face to face with the Creators. If they thought the Max I couldn't remember was bad then they were about to experience Max on a whole new level. Hell would create a tenth circle because of me.

I whipped out my wings and leapt into a tree. I steadily climbed the tree, sometimes using my wings to help me. The mixture of climbing and flying helped me to forget my anger… for a little while. When I finally came to the last branch I could stand on safely, I folded my wings against my back, leaned against the trunk, and rested.

About twenty minutes later I realized it was almost noon. It was going to be lunchtime soon. I really couldn't miss that. I sighed. Even though I was hungry, I was reluctant to leave my little bubble of peace. Down there was the horrible reality of the Glade and the Maze. The reality of life and death. Up here was a world that reality could never touch. Up here, I was invisible, unknown.

I stood up and stretched out my wings. I bent my knees and flung myself from the tree. My wings caught me immediately. I didn't even bother to flap them. I drifted lazily to the ground and refolded my wings into my shirt. A gasp made me turn around.

How could I have gotten so careless? Teresa stood a few feet back, staring at my wings in shock. I'd assumed everyone was working. I'd forgotten that Teresa hadn't been assigned a job yet. I groaned. I didn't think the Voice would be pleased.

"You have wings?" she asked, still shocked.

"No," I said. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't act like you don't know. I just saw you fly down from the tree! I won't tell anyone, anyways," she shrugged.

"Still don't have an idea what you're talking about?" I pretended to yawn. She did the thing I least expected. She marched over to me and stuck her hand up the back of my shirt, immediately coming into contact with my feathers. I jerked away.

"You do!"

"Okay, fine!" I snapped. "I can fly, big deal! just don't **ever** touch me again!"

"It's amazing!" she said, wide eyed. She was...

"Don't you tell," I hissed as I began heading for the Glade.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I could tell you my gift."

"Wait, what?" I said and stopped. I thought people were supposed to be predictable. Instead, they kept doing things I didn't expect. It was annoying and perturbing. I used to be able to read people easy.

"I have a telepathic link with a person here," she said. That sparked a memory, but, just as suddenly, the memory broke.

"Okay, good to know," I said coolly and walked away. This girl had given me a lot of thinking to do…

**Whatcha think? I stayed up late just to give you another chappie! I hope yall are having a great summer! I'm sorry if Max uses a couple big words (that she probably wouldn't know in the books) in here… I LOVE big words! Read and review! **


	8. Chapter 8: Wings of Science

**Thank you reviewers! I'd like to get at least two reviews for this next chapter, if that's ok. I'm happy with the ten I got, but maybe a little more? You know you want to. Peer pressure! Oh, the Flock and you readers are probably about to strangle me because the Flock hasn't been included much. I promise the Flock in it's entirety will be coming shortly. Don't nobody get their panties into a twist! Read on and discover the most magical thing ever! **

Max's POV (1 week later)

I glared at the **grey **'sky', deep in thought. This morning we'd woken up and it'd been freaking grey. No one had ever seen anything like it in the Glade. According to some of the original boys, the sky had always been blue or black, coinciding with day and night.

Nonetheless, not one of the Gladers saw what I saw in that 'sky'. My raptor vision allowed me to see that the grey 'sky' wasn't actually so. The dull color revealed dimensions and contours that I had not seen when it was blue, and still wouldn't have seen if I didn't have my spectacular vision. I used my other mystical powers, predicting that the sun was aligned just so with the stars and deduced that the sky was actually a ceiling. Okay, I don't have any powers, but I knew the sky wasn't a sky.

I figured we'd been in some sort of building all along. It actually made sense. It was a building where the Creators could control almost ever variable. The temperature, climate, weather, Grievers, Maze, etc. It was always sunny; there was never a cloud in sight. Yet, the crops thrived without us having to do much. Moreover, the Maze shifted at night. It was never the same.

I wasn't about to share my revelation with the others, though. The Keepers (the head of each job plus Alby) were putting Teresa in the 'Slammer' because she knew something about the Creators. I didn't know what they knew that she knew because the Keepers never told us anything. It was as if they thought they were some sort of tyrannical rulers.

I_ finally _had a few rational reasons as to why the guys (namely the Keepers) were sissy boys. They couldn't handle a problem without violence… Okay… I can't either, but still! They had to control everything… Don't you look at me like that! I am a _leader_, not a _control freak_. So, my reasoning sucks, but my ceiling point is still valid! So haha!

I watched as the boys milled around the area where we slept, restless. The Garden section was all but dead from lack of sun. The Bloodhouse itself was a ghost town. Something had happened to most of the cattle last night. It was very disconcerting.

I didn't dare wander off into the sparse forest to relinquish my wings. There were too many boys with idle hands today. My wings rustled beneath my shirt, yearning to be set free. The Voice had been strangely quiet as of late. It almost felt peaceful inside my mind.

We ate at the usual mealtimes, trying to stick as close to routine as possible…. Except, when evening came, the ceiling didn't change. It remained the same dull grey. I had some internal clock that told me it was time to start lying down. That's when something major infiltrated my thoughts. The gates hadn't closed for the night.

The boys murmured to themselves as we sat down in the sleeping place. I still didn't know the name of it. I really needed to ask someone about that. The boys were befuddled. There'd never been a time when the gates hadn't closed. In my opinion, it was a good thing. At least, that's what I thought at first. I didn't have to deal with being boxed in for the night. Then, an all too familiar sound rang in my ears. Whir. Click. Slirp. Click. The Grievers were coming…

The reason for the gate became all too clear in my mind. There was no wall to protect us from the attack of the Grievers. The Creators must've set that variable into play. That thought flitted through my mind as all the guys simultaneously fled to the Homestead, seeking the protection of it's walls. I didn't see what good the Homestead was going to do. The flimsy walls would be like a playground for the Grievers. They were sitting ducks in there.

I whipped my wings out and leapt into the air. Nothing could get me from the sky. That decision seemed a lot more reasonable. There were quite a few collective gasps as the boys realized I had wings on my back.

**I told you not to show your wings. **Oh, joy, The Voice has returned. If it could have a tone of voice I'd settle for pissed off.

_Oh, you wanted me to get eaten or stung? _

**You could've headed to the Homestead like everyone else! **Definitely pissed off. Hmm, it'd never reprimanded me like this before…

_Who are going to be eaten and stung. _I replied stubbornly, purposefully trying to provoke it.

**Grievers don't **_**eat **_**you. They sting and, if they are ordered to, take you to the Creators.**

_If they aren't? _The Voice didn't reply. I knew what that meant… Death. _So the Creators want me now, don't they?_ As per usual, the Voice didn't reply. I already had my answer though. The Voice had been borderline furious… even if it didn't have a definitive tone.

I flapped my wings higher… Maybe I could puncture the ceiling! I curled my palm into a fist, drew it back, and let it fly. "AHHH!" I screeched at the top of my lungs. Bolts of electricity tore through my body, making me go completely rigged. I plummeted to the ground, unable to move a single muscle, unable to slow my descent.

My face was literally centimeters from a Griever (which had positioned itself beneath me) when someone grabbed me from above. What the… I looked up into… my own face? I'd never even seen my own reflection before… Or, at least, I didn't remember my reflection. This girl was my reflection though. I could feel it in my bones. Maybe I was dead? How else could I know that she was my mirror image? I bet I'd already gone splat on the ground and this was my angel, ready to take me away… Oh, sweet darkness was already descending…

* * *

><p>"I didn't expect her to do <strong>that<strong>," a masculine voice floated to me from the darkness. It was vaguely familiar.

"Batchelder, there's a lot of things we don't expect Ride to do. She does them anyway," a feminine voice chuckled darkly.

"It's a good thing we sent Maya in there. If she'd been a second later…" another man's voice added.

I felt a faint tugging sensation on my stomach and leg. It tickled a little, but I couldn't muster the energy to move. Suddenly, a searing bolt of pain crept it's way up my leg. My eyes automatically snapped open as I cut off a scream. It was out of habit; never show them that you're in pain.

"She's awake? We just admin…" a woman with red hair looked shocked.

"Jared, I need a sedative… NOW!" a man with glasses and blondish grey hair snapped.

"STAY AWAY!" I shrieked at the top of my lungs as a heavyset man lumbered towards me. I assumed he was Jared. My good leg instinctively lashed out, catching him in the gut. I was on my feet seconds later, ready to attack.

"Max, I don't want to hurt you. We're trying to help. Your leg is broken," the man with the glasses said calmly. "I know you're confused, but trust me…"

I looked him in the eye and said, "I trust no one." That's when a needle hit my arm and I blacked out… again.

**Okay, this is short… I know. But, I liked how it ended all mysterious like. So hang in there readers! There will be a new chappie up shortly. Thank you for sticking with me through this!**


	9. Chapter 9: A TALKING DOG!

**So, I only got one review, but I'll take it! Thanks! I think the subject just isn't that popular. If it were my writing, you guys would tell me… right? I hope so! I'm always open to criticism! Hey, if you like Twilight and dancing then check out my younger sister's story -Dancing With Tears In My Eyes. Her user name is SoccerDancer63. Well, my promotional tirade is over, so ON WITH THE STORY! ;) Pwease review? I'll give you an invisible rat dog (they are just too cute)!**

I awoke in what I thought was a bed. Upon further inspection I surmised that, yes, it was an actual bed. Did falling out of the sky gibe me an upgrade in my lodgings? Maybe I needed to do that more often…

I sighed and reluctantly sat up. A soft curse slid between my teeth immediately. The support beam that held the bunk above me aloft had hit me on the head! How rude! I shook my head, quickly dismissing the pain. Hmm, it was actually kind of chilly in here. I burst into quiet laughter. I was in a strange room, in pain, and I was concerned about it being _cold_. Wow, I had issues. No, my issues had issues.

Cue the Voice's snide comment. Wow, I'd been almost positive the Voice would have chimed in on that one. I quickly made my train of thought do a U-turn. I knew from personal experience that if you thought of the Devil, he would surely answer.

To busy my mind, I scanned the room, searching for escape routes. I first noted the depressing lack of windows. Then, I noted the lack of people. Though several bunks surrounded my own, they all appeared to be vacant. My eyes were then drawn to the only two doors, each at opposite ends of the room. They were the only obvious escape routes, and were probably duds. Still, the routes might just be my ticket to freedom!

I sprang up, eager to escape this stupid game. I was halfway to the nearest door when I realized I was in completely different clothes. The worn, baggy tee, torn pants, and scuffed up shoes I'd had on were MIA. In their place were a pair of clean jeans and a fitted white tee.

My first thought was an obvious one. Who on earth had changed my clothes? It better not have been either of those **men**! If I ever got my hands on them… I'd do them like I did the pig carcasses at the Glade… except they'd be alive while I did it. Cue the evil music. Dun, dun, dun!

A grim happiness filled my thoughts. I know I sounded a little psychotic there, but, hey, look at what these people did to teenagers! They callously slaughtered them without a single thought edgewise! They **deserved** to die a slow painful death! Plus, I'd be helping the world out by ridding it of a couple evil, perverted, sexist pig psychos.

I crossed the remaining space to the door and turned the knob. It led to a bathroom area, but that simple fact would not deter me. What if there was a window in there? I scanned the room carefully, not missing a single detail. There were shower and bathroom stalls on one side and a row of sinks and mirrors on the other. Unfortunately, there were **no **windows **or** doors leading to the outside world (or even another room). Dang it!

I found myself glancing out of the corner of my eye, trying to catch a look at my reflection in one of the mirrors. I was curious as to what I would see. I wanted to know if I looked like the girl I'd seen in the Glade.

If my gut was right then I probably knew the girl from somewhere or another. Maybe she was my twin sister or something. Now_, that'd _be pretty awesome. Then again, I didn't think the world could handle _two_ Max's…

_Get on with it! _I told myself sternly. All I was doing was making senseless babble to myself, trying to stall. I stepped up to the mirror and looked at myself head on. Oh, WOW. I really did look **exactly **like that girl. I had her straight, dirty blonde hair and her deep brown eyes. Well, I guess that old saying still stands true. Two Max's **are** better than one...

The only difference between me and her was that she looked healthy, well fed. I think the term for my own appearance was emaciated. My face was extremely gaunt and my ribs were prominently displayed through the fitted tee shirt I donned. I lifted up the shirt and noticed that you could count each rib just by looking at them. I was a walking _skeleton_. It was kind of disturbing to look at. How long had I been passed out? It couldn't have been **that** long, could it?

I shook my head, trying to suppress questions that couldn't (and probably never would) be answered. I slipped out of the bathroom and strode to the other door. It must be the way out of here.

You'll never guess what happened when I attempted to turn the handle! It didn't budge. So, after twisting and fiddling with it for a few minutes, I began to beat on the door. I kicked it, pounded on it, and screamed at the top of my lungs. For my efforts, I gained two bloody fists and a hoarse voice. Of course the Creators wouldn't have been stupid enough to leave me with an unlocked door. Had I honestly thought they'd give me any obvious way outs?

"What's all the racket?" a voice called sleepily from one of the top bunks. I swiveled towards it, automatically shifting into a defensive stance. It was familiar, but I couldn't place who it belonged to. It must be apart of my past life. Considering the situation I was in, it didn't seem too promising that I recognized the voice. A whiny little boy's came to mind when I really thought about it.

"This is an ungodly hour to wake someone up," the griping voice (not to be confused with The Voice) mumbled, drawing closer. Wait, I'd thought it'd been on that top bunk! When had it moved? Claws clicked against the floor, alerting me that something was approaching. The tapping claws echoed, making it hard to pinpoint the exact location they came from. I tensed, ready to fight off whatever it was.

"Max!" the voice said, suddenly bright and chipper. A happy bark rang throughout the room as a furry body threw itself at me. It's rough tongue rubbed against my cheek, testing out how bird kid tasted before it ate me alive. That was NOT how I wanted my life to end. My epitaph would say: Here lies Max, eaten alive by an invisible creature.

Except, after a few seconds of tasting me, it leapt away from me. I guess Bird-Kid didn't taste that good. I quickly stood and realized it was a **dog**. It was just a black Scottish Terrier that barely reached the middle of my calf. Definitely not the monster I'd imagined it to be.

I let out a hoarse laugh that was a partial sigh. How could I have thought that the dog _talked_? I must be hallucinating from lack of food and water. I needed to go back to the bathroom, get a drink of water, and begin to search for a means of escape.

The food problem would be solved soon. The Creators wouldn't have gone through all that trouble to save me, only to kill me now, right? Hopefully was the only answer I could bring myself to think. Besides, I hadn't been out long enough to be in serious need of food... At least, I didn't think I had been…

"Max, I've missed you all so much!" the dog said, wagging it's tail. _Hallucination go away_. I closed my eyes and thought fervently. _Don't live to haunt me another day! _As my luck would have it, the dog remained steadfast when I opened my eyes. What if he was another experiment? The Creators slapped wings on my back, so why not a talking dog?

"Are you real?" I whispered. Now, that was one of the stupidest things I'd ever said. The dog agreed with me because it cracked up.

"Of course I'm real! Are you alright? I'm so glad you're here! I thought they'd killed everyone and were saving me for last. The Whitecoats separated me **first**! As if I were the weak link! Humph, stupid…" the dog began mumbling under his breath. I think I caught a few obscenities, but I wasn't sure. I felt a sharp urge to smack him, but refrained.

"Who are you?" I asked, refocusing my question. How on Earth did he know me?

"Wait, what? You don't know who I am?" the dog asked, his voice raising a few notes. He ducked his head, as if he were hurt by my words. For some reason, this aggravated me.

"I'm sorry if my memory's a bit wiped," I said coolly. "Currently, I can't remember more than my first name."

The dog rushed over to me, flipping out a pair of wings. "Surely you remember that I'm Total! Surely you remember flying and the Flock and…"

"What on Earth is a F…"

A bang reverberated through the room as the door flew open. The dog quickly tucked his black wings back into his fur, effectively concealing them. A little blonde girl stood in the door with someone I definitely recognized… Teresa.

**How was that? Review, review, review! ;) Oh, here's a cute little blonde joke. Okay… **

**A blonde and a lawyer were sitting beside each other on an airplane. The Lawyer said, "Let's play a game. I'll ask you a question. If you don't know the answer you'll give me five dollars. In turn, you'll ask me a question. If I can't answer it then I'll give you fifty dollars." **

**The Lawyer felt that he couldn't fail.**

"**Okay, you go first," says the blonde. **

"**How far is the Sun from the Earth?" the Lawyer asked. **

**The blonde silently handed over a five before pondering her own question. **

"**What goes up a hill with three legs, but goes back down the hill with four?" she asked. **

**The Lawyer searched everywhere, making various calls to his friends, family, and colleagues. Finally, he gave her fifty dollars. **

"**What was the answer to the question, anyway?" the Lawyer asked after giving her the money. **

**The blonde looked at him and gave him another five dollar bill. **


	10. Chapter 10: Rat Man EVIL!

**I got Total in there, now didn't I? I couldn't stand it without my Total! Anyways, now you'll be seeing a lot more of the Flock. I hope you're happy! ;) Read on and discover the evil good of W.I.C.K.E.D.**

Fang's POV

'Dr. Janson' entered our room, glasses perched precariously on his rat-like nose. Now, if only gravity would kick in... He promptly pushed them up, as if he were reading my mind. I wouldn't have been surprised. Dr. Janson (or Dr. Rat, as we liked to call him) always had a knowing look in his beady eyes. I seriously doubted that, though. If he could read my mind then he'd have one of those big taser-things on him right now.

"How are you today, Nicholas?" he asked me. I gazed at him coolly, concealing my rage and irritation. I didn't understand why, but all the Whitecoats had been calling us by our 'birth names' since we'd been captured.

We'd corrected them multiple times, (with a lot of threats and explicit words in the corrections, mind you) but all the Whitecoats (especially Dr. Rat) insisted on calling us by those **darn** names. It wouldn't have agitated me and the guys so much if the names were our actual birth names. But, they weren't. The Whitecoats had probably plucked the names from thin air. It seemed to me that they were trying to claim the right to bestow an identity on us… and that was so not happening. Heck, it was almost more infuriating than them calling us 'it' and denying our humanity.

"Great, considering that we're being _**held against our will**_!" Iggy responded, causing Dr. Rat to break eye contact with me. My long monologues in my head are what keep me so quiet… just kidding… maybe… "And you, Dr. _Rat_?"

Dr. Rat didn't bat an eye as he gazed at Iggy. "As good as things can be, Ryan. Nicholas, come with me," the Rat said dismissively, **as if **I would come at his beck and call.

We'd been trapped here for nearly _two_ months. You'd think they would've realized that we weren't going to come willingly, no matter how much they begged and pleaded. If they wanted me they were going to have to use a crap load of physical force.

Of course, Dr. Rat probably hoped that his little act would have made us submissive by this point. I know, I was just as shocked as you! The Whitecoats had lowered themselves far enough to pull **another** act stunt! They were all insisting that we weren't in an Itex facility. We were in a place run by an organization called WICKED.

Naturally, I smiled and jumped on their bull #$%$ wagon without a second thought. Okay, that is a lie. As they were telling Iggy, Gazzy, and I this I was thinking, '_Okay, you tell me I'm in a place run by something called WICKED. __**If**__ that's true then I think I need to re-examine the definition of wicked. I'm sorry, but I kinda thought that wicked meant, oh, I don't know, __**EVIL**__.' _

Then they explained to us that WICKED stood for World In Catastrophe _**Killzone**_ Department, **not** the immoral, sinful word wicked. '_Oh okay. That makes me feel soooo much better! I thought you were those __**evil **__Whitecoats. I can see I'm wrong. Instead of the __**Experiment **__department, you placed us in the __**Kill**__ department. I'm giving you all brownie points for trading your Whitecoats for guns_!'

Except, they hadn't killed us, or even experimented on us. We'd all gotten our share of shocks from the giant tasers, but that was probably because we tried to beat the heck out of the wielders of said tasers. As you can see, totally their fault. They should've led us to the rest of the Flock then snuck us out a side door. I wish. If my life were that easy then I don't think it'd be my life.

"It's Fang, you idiot, and no," I muttered darkly, a snarl in my tone. They were **no**t taking me away easy. I would not go on my own free will.

"We can do this the painless way or the hard way," Dr. Rat said calmly.

"Hmm, Hard **is** my middle name… And if by hard you mean 'kick your butt to next Tuesday'? Well, count me in," I whispered with a hint of a smile. I know, I know. Fang has said more than two words and almost smiled! Gasp! Well, I tell off who needs to be told off, and I can't help it if I enjoy it!

"Nicholas, Nicholas, Nicholas. I'd choose wisely if I were you," Dr. Rat said darkly. I wasn't sure what he meant. He would have to shock me with those tasers until I passed out; that was the only way I was going. "We could always take Jordan or Ryan instead." Wait, what? I ground my teeth, forcing myself not to react.

**How** had he known? I wouldn't let Gazzy and Iggy be taken in my place. No way, no how! Grr…Oh, I bet he was bluffing! That good-for-nothing-jerk… "It's **Fang**! And I **don't** care," I said. "Take them!"

The Rat responded by having two heavily-armed Whitecoats flow into the room. Well, crap, he wasn't bluffing after all. I sucked in a deep breath, battling my inner conscience. In the end, I knew what I'd have to do if I didn't want to turn purple, blue, and yellow from Max's fists. The men were a couple inches from Iggy and the Gasman when I let two sinister words slip from my mouth. They burned my throat, even as I said them.

"I'll go."

"Good choice, Nicholas, good choice."

**Angel's POV**

I looked at the girl and dog carefully. I knew them from somewhere… I peeped into the girl's mind, searching for clues.

**Ignore the talking dog, and try to act normal Max. Normal, normal, normal. What is normal anyways? Can they see my wings through this shirt? Wish I could stretch them.. No, stupid… Don't even think about it Max…**

Okay, that girl had some issues… major issues. I thought I heard her say she had wings, but what if I was wrong? That would completely blow my cover. I just needed to watch and wait.

"Max!" Teresa said, shock making her eyes go wide. Max looked at her Teresa, uncertainty plainly painting her face.

"Teresa, how'd you get out of the Maze?" she asked, suspicion crowding her thoughts. They'd locked Teresa in something called the Slammer while they'd been in the Maze. Well, Max didn't, but a bunch of boys did…

"Well, it's a long story. Needless to say, we went through the Griever hole and deactivated the Grievers," Teresa said. "I woke up in here instead of the safe house thing…" Teresa was interrupted by Amelia. Fear sparkled in her eyes as she hurriedly told Teresa what I dreaded. Rat Man was back. He was like Jeb… I couldn't read him.

I darted into the main room, Teresa and the others close at my heels. Max's eyes narrowed as she walked through the doorway… Hmm…

**Max's POV**

I followed the little blonde girl into another room. Who on earth was the Rat Man? My question was answered as soon as I stepped through the doorway. A man in white clothes sat in a chair, gazing steadily at us as we entered. A good thirty girls sat near him, looking at our group quizzically.

"Hello, Max," the man said coolly. Spiders crawled across my skin as I realized he was wearing a white coat. I immediately drew towards the door I'd just exited. My body collided with an invisible wall. What the…

"Shuck!" I muttered, glad for a curse word that wouldn't ruin a child's ears.

"Teresa, Angel," he said, nodding at them both. Angel cowered near the door, with me. Memories flashed through my mind; dog crates, needles, pain, so much pain. I shuddered, pushing away the images. I steeled myself to attack…

"What do you want?" I snarled, slowly advancing toward him. I ran right into another invisible wall. I growled. Stupid Creator.

"Calm Max," the evil, Creator man smiled. It was a cold, heartless smile. "It's almost over. You have contracted the Flare. Get to the safe point in three days time and you'll get the cure."

"You know, I'd probably care **a lot **more if I knew what the Flare was," I retorted. "Currently, your little memory wiper has kinda put my mind out of business."

The man chuckled in response. The sound was hollow, without humor.

"The Flare is a disease that arose after the Solar Flare that descended upon the Earth," Creator Man said patiently.

"That'd kill everyone," I snapped. How stupid did he think I was?

"Well, obviously it didn't," he responded. "Now, all of you go back into the room you slept in last night. When you return there will be a flat trans where the door is. Go through that and you'll be on your way to your destination. Good luck. Your lives depend on it," he tilted his head as a gesture of goodbye.

The girls shuffled through a door on the other side of the room. The dog and I were the only ones who remained. "No," I said defiantly. "I only have a case of 'Ratengitious', and when **you **leave that will be gone. I don't have your mysterious 'Flare!' Heck, I bet you made it up!"

"Max, Max, Max. They said you were a problem child," he said condescendingly. I glared at him. The dog growled a warning at the Creator/Rat Man. It was a smart talking dog.

"Get out of your little bubble and I'll show you problem child!" I yelled. A mad bird kid is not something you want to reckon with. A pissed Max is like a mad bird kid on steroids. Pissed Max won't leave any remains behind when she get's ahold of you.

He smiled his callous smile then went poof. There was nothing, nada, zilch in the space he'd occupied. That little… I'd wring his neck when I got my hands on him. I waved my hand towards the barrier. It didn't exist anymore... of course.

The dog began barking madly, obviously as ticked as I was. It felt good to know someone else shared my feelings. The girls exited the room they'd went into, staring at the dog as if they'd never seen one before.

"Okay, let's look for the flat trans," Teresa said, automatically taking charge. What in the world was a stupid flat trans anyways? All the girls seemed to know exactly what we were looking for, so I didn't ask.

I pretended to search for it with the rest of the girls. I had no idea what it would look like. If it took us into the outside world, I'd try it. For everything I told that man, I'd have to go along with at least this part of his order. The escape.

**Watcha think? Interesting, boring, need a little spice. Well, review and give me some ideas! Happy fourth of July!**


	11. Chapter 11: Shards

**I'm sorry I haven't updated lately. I totally hate when people don't touch a story for a year or two. I understand why they don't though. I think I'm making the story weird. I'm not certain, but please reader tell me if I do. I tend to stray from the story's original purpose and make it way too outlandish. Anyways, I'm so sorry. Please don't be too angry. I deny owning anything that has to do with Maximum Ride or the Maze Runner. Please continue to read. If ya'll have any suggestions, comments, or concerns you can always hit that little review button…. Wink wink. Anyways I'm totally experiencing writer's block. If ya'll wanna help out, well, by all means do so! **

Max's POV

It took my amazing genius to figure out where the flat trans was. All I did was open the front door and there it was… a big, black wall. Teresa asked me if I could go last, to make sure everyone made it through okay. Though I felt like I should be leading the mission, I stayed behind.

As Teresa stepped through the wall, the little girl took my hand. I think her name was Angel. She was so small and fragile looking, I just couldn't pull my hand away. She needed someone to hold on to. Now, don't go telling people I'm getting soft. I am not getting soft. I was just feeling a moment of kindness.

I caught Total staring at me as if I'd grown a second head. He cautiously walked up to me, seeming to consider something as he did. A bad feeling formed in the pit of my stomach as the dog put his front legs on my knees. He whined softly, nudging my hand with his wet nose. I would **not** hold that stupid dog. I could only tolerate so much…

"C'mon Max," he begged.

"No," I said sternly, pushing Total away from me. "Bad dog!"

"I am not simply a dog. I am a Canine American, thank you!" he sniffed. How could these girls not hear this dog talking? How? Were they deaf or simply impervious to this mutt's whine?

I watched the last girl file through, unaware of the talking dog she was passing. A creepy feeling on the back of my neck caused me to turn. Three girls sat defiantly on the floor, staring holes into my back.

"Nothing good's going to come from you sitting there," I said.

"We're going to wait for more of our rescuers to come," one of them murmured.

"We're bound to be found eventually," another one chimed in.

I sighed, "I'd go with the rest of the group if I were ya'll."

"Nope, we're waiting."

"Come with us," Angel whispered softly. Her blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she looked at them. They were Bambi eyes. One of the girls got up and walked through the flat trans without another word.

The other two looked at each other, confused. "Why'd Kate do that?" one of them asked.

The other glared at me and stated a bit harshly, "We still ain't going with you!"

"We're just going to have to leave them," Angel murmured. "I can't get to them for some reason." I nodded; Bambi eyes didn't work on everyone. I turned around and took one last look at Angel. With a deep breath, we both stepped into the unknown.

It was _completely _black in the flat trans. As I moved forward, I could tell we were in a different area. While my eyes were utterly useless, my ears worked well in their place. I suddenly understood how Iggy could get around so well. Wait, who in the heck was Iggy?

That wasn't important. I needed to listen and concentrate. The others were just up ahead; I could hear their footsteps as they shuffled along. Everything smelled damp, musty, as if this place had never seen light… It probably hadn't.

There was a cry of pain and a soft thud as someone fell. Somebody turned on a flashlight up ahead. I could see the dim glow of it as it shined towards us. The glow abruptly flipped off and Teresa called for us to keep moving. I had an extremely bad feeling about this.

**Max, get to the center immediately. **

_Okay, snappy much? _I asked, pulling Angel behind me as I slid past the girl I was tailing. Normally, I'd take a little time to argue, but I didn't know what had happened back there. This could be a life or death situation. I wasn't questioning the Voice right now. If it could save my and Angel's hides, I'd take it.

Something grazed over my head and collided with the girl I'd been behind. I heard her hit the ground, but I didn't turn. I wasn't exactly afraid; I just knew I couldn't help her. We walked down the dark corridor for an extremely long time. At one point, I realized I'd gotten beside Teresa. Angel and the dog were close at my heels, but not beside me.

The things soared over my head periodically. Sometimes they took a girl down, sometimes they didn't. It was enough to set me on edge though. After forever and a decade, I tripped over a stair. I realized we were beginning to ascend. I couldn't believe it; there was actually a way out of this purgatory.

"Everyone stay at the bottom of the steps. There's a hatch right here," Teresa called to our group. I hadn't realized it, but she'd made it to the top of the stairs. "I'm going to see where it leads."

"I'm coming with you," I said. The sooner I got out of here, the better. Teresa sighed then flicked on the flashlight, illuminating the steps for me. I inhaled sharply as I realized how close the walls were to me. In the dark I could imagine that they weren't closing in on me. I didn't have that convenience anymore. I hauled on my big girl panties and climbed the stairs, cautious and quick. As I neared the top, I realized there was light shining through the hatch.

"What's that?" one of the girl's yelled. I turned to see a molten teardrop fall from the ceiling just behind me. As if possessed, it floated in midair before zooming towards the cluster of girls. A girl let out a scream of agony as the molten teardrop found it's home on her face. It covered her body in a matter of moments. She dropped like a rock, writhing against the material. Anger and sadness swirled in my mind. I turned away, rather purposefully, and looked towards Teresa.

She stared, transfixed by what was happening. It sickened me. I pushed her aside and threw open the hatch, the need to escape greater than I could ever have fathomed before. Heat and light seared my eyes. It felt like a brick oven compared to the damp tunnel. Nevertheless, I booked it into the oven. It was better than the horrors of the tunnel.

It took several moments before my sensitive eyes adjusted to the intense light. We were in what appeared to be a desert wasteland. I turned to the north, and found myself staring at an infinite amount of desert. I wheeled around to look at the south. Surprisingly, there was a smallish town sitting smack dab in the middle of said desert. It was a welcome, if not startling, sighting.

Just beyond it were a group of jagged mountains that partially encircled the town like a broken bowl. From this distance, it appeared as though the mountains were only a couple miles away from the town. Unfortunately, I knew better. It would probably be a days walk from the town to the mountains, if that.

Even more regrettably, beyond the mountains was probably going to be our destination. I sighed and glanced at Teresa and the other girls. They were all blinking owlishly, still trying to adjust to the sunlight. I guess that was the good thing about raptor vision, you adjusted to things rather quickly.

I searched for Angel and the dog. They materialized by my side as if they knew I'd been looking. "Okay," Theresa clapped her hands together, finally taking in the scene. "I think we need to head east, and circle around the town. It pro-"

"We should probably head south," I interjected before she could continue. She gave me a look, but I ignored it. "The town will provide us food, water, and shelter. It's also the most direct route to our destination."

"And where's that?" one of the girl's asked me snarkily.

"Over the mountains," I said simply. "It's the hardest but most obvious point to reach. They don't want to make it impossible, but it's going to be tough getting there in three days."

"But," Theresa butted in, "we have another mission to complete."

"And what would that be?" I snapped.

"We have to kill Thomas, one of the boys. He did horrible things to me, Max. You disappeared before everything went crazy. He tried to kill me! He'll do the same to all of you if we don't kill him. It's his life or ours!"

"What?" I cried, incredulous. She was talking about murdering Thomas, a boy who was trying to escape as much as we were. Thomas wasn't the enemy here. Besides, if he tried anything he'd be ten feet under before he so much as blinked. If it came down to it, it'd be him against Max… The other girls didn't exactly count. I wasn't sure about their skill in fighting, but I was with my own.

The girls murmured amongst themselves, obviously as disturbed as I. I was glad. They'd all agree with me and Theresa would drop the notion. There'd be no ifs, ands, or buts about it. We'd go to the city, rest up, and maybe find some protection and ammunition.

"Ok," one girl whispered, sadness gleaming in her pale eyes. As one, they all agreed. Self-preservation triumphed over logic; they'd rather kill than be killed.

"No," I said, refusing to just go along with it. "I will **not** have his blood on my hands. I'm out of here."

Angel looked at me with wide, well angelic, eyes and slid her hand in mine. _That's my girl. _I thought to her, though I knew she couldn't hear me. She seemed to smile extra sweetly at me when I thought it. It was just a trick of the searing light.

We began to walk towards the town together. I figured the dog would follow, no matter how much I wanted differently. I wasn't disappointed. A few seconds later, Total was trotting in front of us, grumbling under his breath.

Someone took my other hand. I looked to my side and saw a girl who couldn't have been more than eight. She looked at me with big, brown eyes, afraid I'd reject her. Compassion filled my heart for this small child. I couldn't help but think that I still loved Angel more.

"Annie," Teresa called after the little girl. "Don't go with her. It's a death sentence."

"Things not turn out right?" I asked with mock sympathy as I turned to Teresa. I registered the brokenness and shock in Teresa's eyes before I turned towards the town. I knew why she was shaken. She hadn't figured anyone would break away from the group. Her lack of forethought vaguely reminded me of someone, I just couldn't remember who. I tried to dredge up the person I was thinking of. My memory was back to being a stubborn, illusive slate again. I mentally growled, trying to make a hole with my mental fist. It just wasn't happening.

Teresa didn't say anything else as we departed from the group. She seemed resigned to let us 'walk to our deaths'. I say this because I knew she'd have put up a bigger fight if Annie was in danger. Me? I doubt she'd care. Angel? That'd be an iffy. Annie? Yes. She cared about that child, even if it was just a little.

For about a mile we walked in blissful silence. Yes, I mean there was no idle chatter coming from the four legged miscreant. Amazing isn't it?

"I'm Annie," the little girl whispered softly, breaking my bubble of peace. It would take seconds for the dog to hear us speaking and join in. Ugh.

"Max," I said kind of roughly. I wasn't in the greatest of moods. It was sweltering out here. The sun was inexorable, not even allowing a slight breeze to ease our suffering. To make matters worse, my hair was plastered to my back with sweat. It was way too long for it's own good. I needed to take a knife to it soon.

"I'm Angel," Angel said sweetly. Total opened then closed his mouth. I think that was the first and last time I'd ever see him at a loss for words. I futilely hoped he'd stay quiet. I had no such luck. As soon as the thought had occurred the dog began to speak.

"My name is Total!" he said. And that was just the beginning of our long trek to town…

**Okay, so I finally got this done. Sorry again. I have failed you all miserably. High School is such a pain. Hope ya'll have a good one. God Bless. **


	12. Chapter 12: Hellfire

**I've been deliberating on whether I should put this up for adoption. It felt like I was rushing some parts then slowing others and it wasn't how I wanted it at all. But, rereading it, I have decided that I will continue the story! So, I am very sorry to you avid readers who hung in there for me. I appreciate you waiting! Without further ado, I present you with the long overdue to chappie! ;)**

_Refresher:_

_I had no such luck. As soon as the thought had occurred the dog began to speak._

_"My name is Total!" he said. And that was just the beginning of our long trek to town…_

Chapter 12:

You know how Revelations predicts that hellfire and brimstone will rain down on the Earth in End Times? Well… I guess you could say it made a pretty accurate prediction.

About a mile from the town, thunder began to rumble in the distance. I froze as dark clouds began to amass just over the mountains from nowhere. It sounded like a thunderstorm was brewing, but thunderstorms didn't come on that fast. Even I, with my weird memory, knew that much. A bolt of purple lightning shot to the ground, rocking everything around me.

"Run!" I shouted as I spurred myself into motion. We had to get to shelter before that storm hit or we were dead. That wasn't normal lightning.

Angel began to sprint too, sensing my urgency. Total made a few sounds of protest, but fell into step with us. Annie quickly fell behind as we all raced desperately towards the town. She didn't have a lot of endurance and couldn't keep pace. I slowed down just enough to swing her onto my back then started running again. Annie's extra weight slowed me down a little, but we were making better time than before.

That is, until a bolt of purple lightning struck inches from me. I stumbled then hitched my butt into high gear. That lightning was way too close for comfort.

Annie said something, but I couldn't hear her over the thunder that echoed across the sky. It was loud enough to impair my hearing for the next century or so. If I lived that long…

I felt Annie squirm then fall off my back. I flipped around, ready to grab her into my arms, but she backed away from me. Was she stupid? She was going to get herself killed!

She made a shooing motion and began to run again. I headed towards her, determined not to be the cause of her death. Of course, I didn't reach her in time. Just as I was about to grab her arm, the stupid lightning struck her dead on.

I know I may sound cold to you, but I didn't hesitate to swerve around her quaking body and catch up with Total and Angel. I forced all emotion from my mind and shut out the temptation to look back. I had to keep my head facing forward. After this was all over, I'd have time to grieve. For now, I needed to get myself and my flock to safety.

My flock. The thought gave me a warm feeling, but I couldn't place why. It was odd to feel so happy when a small girl had just _died _before my eyes. I shook my head and pushed on, barely skirting another round of lightning. I needed to stay focused. Pondering life and it's mysteries could get me killed out here.

We finally crossed into the city, a little worse for the wear. I didn't hesitate to barrel into the first building I spotted. Whoever resided in there could just get over it. I wasn't going to risk my, or my flock's, life by making niceties and knocking on the door.

Besides, it was unlocked. If the owners didn't want random strangers barging into their place then they should keep their front door locked. These were desperate times, after all.

I took stock of my flock as I leaned against the brick wall, trying to catch my breath. Angel and Total appeared to be okay for the most part. Being the person I am, I still had to ask.

"Ya'll okay?" I asked between deep breaths.

"Yea," Angel and Total replied simultaneously. I nodded and slid down the wall, letting my butt hit the floor with a muffled thump.

I ran my fingers through my longish hair, observing the room we were in. It was circular and had three archways that led to different parts of the building. A sole chair rested in the corner, long abandoned.

I tilted my head up, realizing that this building had three levels. The architect was either extremely crazy or this building hadn't been used in an extremely long time. The walling that had given the upper floors privacy was crumbling and torn in places. The openings would provide excellent getaways if we were ever in need of them.

_Snick._

It was a small, trivial sound, hardly heard over the monotonous thunder. It was probably the plaster breaking loose from the reverberations of said thunder. Nevertheless, I was on my sore feet instantly. I focused all my senses on the silence, listening for anything else.

_Thump. _

I stiffened, motioning for Angel and Total to move towards the front door. They complied with little urging on my part. Some piece of me found that weird. Angel _never_ listened to me without hearing some sort of explanation.

"Hello," someone said, causing me to flip around and face my opponent. His skin was dark, almost like a creamy mocha on a cold day. He was a bit taller than me and had a superior gleam in his dark eyes, which I didn't like at all. "Welcome to the 'Crank House'."

"What's a Crank?" I asked, refusing to act submissive to him. I hated that I didn't know what he was talking about.

"It's you, me, her," he pointed to Angel. "Anyone who's contracted the Flare."

"So, that's real?" Total mumbled. I surreptitiously stepped on his paw, hard. That shut him up quick.

"Duh. I'm Jorge," he said. He must've assumed that Angel had mumbled the question. Good thing, too. I really didn't want to explain the talking dog. If we got out of this alive, I was going to skin that dog alive and make him into a winter coat.

"I'm Max," I said then pointed to Angel. "That's Angel, and the Scottie is Total," I supplied. "So, are you crazy?"

"I wouldn't call us that," he warned. Ok, sensitive.

"Then what would you call yourself?"

"Is your memory lacking already?" Jorge asked, taking a good look at me. I think he was trying to judge my sanity level. We're Cranks; people..."

"Yeah, yeah. You already told me that. What you didn't tell me was what the Flare was."

"Are _you_ daft? The flare is a sickness. It's all over the news. You must be farther along than I thought. First it's mental deterioration. You're mind goes a little at a time."

"What sort of sickness?" I asked.

"The Flare is a disease that's the result of a solar flare that occurred a few years back. That's why we're here," a girl said, making me jump. She'd appeared from nowhere. If she'd been a smidge closer to me then I would've hit her. "It spreads a lot like the flu. They quarantine us in these ghost towns, trying to stop it. Fat lot of good it does."

Jorge took over from there. "I think it's the really rich people who are keeping the virus alive. They pretend they're not sick until they're put on so many drugs that they don't even realize they're mad. When it gets to that point they're shipped off to some comfy, isolated place where the infection finally sets in."

"People like us aren't so fortunate. The second we test positive we're brought here and left to our own devices. We're contained like a bunch of wild animals that are slowly going insane," the girl sighed.

"Wow," I said. They were insane if they believed that crap. There was no way that a solar flare caused such an infectious disease.

"Since you're memory is a little faulty, I'd imagine you're parents had a little money. At least, they had enough to buy you some time. You've probably been on enough drugs that you don't recall the last few months well."

"I do _not_ have the Flare!" I put my hands on my hips and stamped my foot for emphasis. "We stumbled across this city after walking through a stupid flat trans thingamajig."

"Okay," the girl said, trying to placate me. Ugh! I hated people! "I'm Brenda."

"Max, Angel, Total," I grunted.

"Might as well get some sleep, you know," Jorge said carelessly. "This storm's gonna last for a while."

**Jorge might be a little OOC. Haven't read the books in a while. I apologize dear readers for the long wait. Thanks for hanging in there. New chappie coming soon. Third trimester, less hassle. **


	13. Chapter 13: Finger Tales

**School sucks. High school? Sucks a lot worse. I'll post more often now guys. Thanks for hanging in there! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! -^.^- **

Angel dropped to the floor and entwined her fingers in Total's fur. I smiled softly as she closed her eyes and sank away from the terrors this new world brought us. Total watched me for a moment, probably to make sure that I was going to keep watch, then closed his eyes as well.

I didn't want to, but I had a grudging respect for the dog. He had as little trust as I did for Jorge and Brenda. Of course, our reasons for distrust could've been totally opposite. I, personally, didn't trust them not to stab me in the back with some sort of knife or shank while I slept.

Not to mention the fact that there were plenty of other Cranks lurking around. No one approached us, but I could hear them shifting around on the upper floors. Sometimes quiet voices would drift to me through the walls as different people held vague conversations about who-knew-what.

After a while, the thunder and lightning began to fade into background noise. The murmuring became a lullaby which I valiantly struggled against. The lullaby spirited me away to that land between awareness and sleep. A thousand faces flashed before me, leaving me bewildered at the sudden thoughts and emotions they provoked. Love, joy, anger, fear, and hatred rushed through me...

BAM! The door banged open, causing me to snap to my feet in the blink of an eye.

Before I had formed a conscious thought, my fists came up, ready to cause pain to anyone who dared to touch my angel.

"Whoa!" I vaguely heard Newt say. "Cool it, Shank!"

I blinked rapidly, coming to awareness. Half the Gladers had filed into the room, leaving little room to move around. I spotted Alby, Minho, Thomas, Newt, and a couple other guys I didn't know very well. There was one boy I'd never seen before. He looked a bit like Chuck who I didn't see anywhere. His absence worried me. Had he died? Had anyone else?

"Wha-" Angel asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes. I quickly walked over to her, placing myself protectively in front of her.

"How'd you get here, Shank?" Alby asked, quick and to the point. "We thought you were dead for sure."

"I woke up and found myself in a strange room with a bunch of girls and a dog. We saw Rat Man who told us that we all had the Flare or something like that. He had us walk through a flat trans and down a dark tunnel. We found the desert, after a long walk. I argued with Theresa about which way we should go, and ended up going my own way. She wanted to head around the town and cut ya'll off. She's going to try to ambush you guys…"

"Why?" Thomas asked. He looked stricken. He must've had a thing for her. Unfortunately, I didn't do touchy-feely emotions well, so I said the only thing I knew… the truth.

"She said you guys betrayed her and tortured her. She made up a bunch of vicious lies about everyone, especially Thomas. She wants them to kill you."

"What?" he asked, disbelief thick in his voice. Okay, maybe I went a _little _overboard on how Theresa acted. Just a _little. _

"Hey, don't kill the messenger. Just telling it to you straight."

"You know, Max, I haven't met a lot of girls in my life, but I don't think any of them are as shucking cold as you," Alby commented. My fist immediately connected with his stomach. If I'd hit him just a smidge-bit lower it would've forever impaired his ability to have children.

I smirked as he bent over and grunted. "I may be cold, but I can throw a punch. Remember that next time," I said icily. His face turned red; I couldn't tell if it was from anger, embarrassment, or a mixture of the two. It served him right.

Angel giggled and clapped her hands in delight. Apparently she liked watching rude guys get beat up. Interesting…

"What's going on here?" Jorge barked, storming into the room. "I didn't say you could bring a whole army!"

"I didn't invite them," I grumbled.

"Nice to meet you too," Alby remarked as he straightened himself up. "I'm Alby. We're just taking shelter until the storm passes."

"You got the Flare?"

"That's what They say," Alby replied and drew closer to Jorge. I warily watched Alby's lips move, but I didn't actually discern what he said. Whatever it was, it caused Jorge to grab Alby and punch him harder than I had. Alby's head lolled back as he stumbled slightly. Jorge dragged Alby's unsteady body into an adjoining room, fury literally radiating from his very being.

Only Thomas and Newt followed Jorge. Well, Thomas, Newt, and I. There was no way I was going to miss any of it. Besides, I didn't actually want Alby to die. Well, I didn't want him to die at someone else's hand. I would be the one to kill, torture, and/or maim him. Me and only me.

"-die," I heard Jorge say as I trailed in behind the two boys. Alby was sprawled across the floor, still recovering from the nasty blow he'd taken to the head.

Something like sympathy welled up in my heart, causing me to internally sigh. I opened my mouth and actually spoke to Jorge. I still can't believe the words I said. "I don't know what Alby said to you, but he doesn't deserve to die. Though I don't agree with him a lot, he's the glue for those boys out there. You take him away and those boys ain't got no one. You and I both know what no one feels like."

Jorge wasn't very fazed by my speech. I could see it by the distance and hatred that had drifted into his eyes. My moment hadn't connected us at all. On the contrary, it appeared as if my homily had given him a viable reason to hate me.

Still, the way he paused, carefully pondering his words, made me almost certain that he wouldn't kill Alby. After a moment he even conceded to my pitiful plea. "I won't kill him."

"Okay," I agreed, waiting for the catch. He didn't disappoint.

"But," Jorge paused for dramatic effect, "I'm going to take one of his fingers as a warning."

"NO!" Thomas and Newt cried simultaneously.

Jorge smiled darkly in response. There was something unstable in Jorge's eyes, making me wonder if the Flare wasn't a myth after all. I watched closer, realizing Thomas and Newt's reaction was what he'd been after. The threat had been made for the sole purpose of riling the boys up.

I judged Jorge carefully, but couldn't decide how serious he was. The glee had diminished from his eyes. In it's place was a strange indifference to the topic, as if he didn't care either way.

Russian Roulette would be the game I'd play if I called him on what I thought was a bluff. Unfortunately for Alby, I was very willing to play the game. I'd turn the gun towards myself if necessary. It would be best to know who Jorge really was from the get go. I'd rather die here then die right before we got out of the game.

"Go ahead," I shrugged. "It's just a finger or two."

"Really?" Jorge drawled, pulling out a rusty pocket knife. Alby groaned from his position on the floor, perhaps in protest.

Newt and Thomas looked at me as if I'd grown two heads. For all I knew, I might have.

"Have you lost your shucking marbles?" Newt practically yelled.

"Look, we can make a deal with you," Thomas added quickly.

I wanted to smack Thomas. You never made a deal with someone like Jorge… ever.

"I'm listening," Jorge drawled lazily, twirling his pocket knife.

"We're headed towards the mountains to get a cure for the Flare."

"You're lying, and I don't like liars much."

"Shuck it! We have three days to get over them mountains and get the Cure. If we don't make it, _They'll_ leave us out here to die."

"So, what's the deal?"

"If you leave Alby alone and help all of us out then you can get the Cure too."

"What if there isn't any Cure?"

"You can kill me yourself."

"Remember, you said it, not me," Jorge said and spit on his hand. Thomas sighed and shook it firmly.

**The end…. JK! ;) Too early on to end it here. Freaked you out right? Review! **


	14. Chapter 14: Memories and Cranks

**Iris Hanson, Madrigal, MFINGAtheflock, and everyone else who's read this thank you! You know how everything goes. School comes first, then sports, then clubs, then volunteer service, and, finally, there's those little moments where you actually have time to sit down and write! This is one of those moments. Oh, by the way, some parts of this chapter hold direct quotes from The Angel Experiment. I do not own those. By the by, I cannot recall exactly how the Scorch Trials goes from here. I got the gist, but forgive me. I believe I'm going to manipulate the plot to suit my needs! ;) **

It's crazy how real a dream can be sometimes. In the back of your mind, you just _know _it isn't real. Yet, in a strange way, it is. It's so, so real.

You can feel the pain as sharp rocks and pointed sticks cut mercilessly into your bare feet. You can feel the sting of thorns as a briar attacks your arms, leaving bloody trails on your white skin. You can even feel your lungs burning, aching for air that they can't have as you run faster and faster and faster still, pure adrenaline spurring you on.

It doesn't matter that you don't know who you're running from. It doesn't matter that you don't know where you're running to. All you care about is escaping.

_Escape! _The thought made me speed up. I had to get into the air. I had to.

I squinted in the half light, searching for a clearing where I could get into the air. That's all I needed.

The unearthly baying of bloodhounds on the scent wailed through the trees and I felt sick. I could outrun men- all of us could, even Angel, and she's only six. But none of us could outrun a big dog.

_Dogs, dogs, go away. Let me live another day! _

They were getting closer. Dim light filtered in throughthe woods in front of me - a clearing?

I burst through the trees, chest heaving, a thin sheen of cold sweat on my skin.

_Yes! _

No!

I skidded to a halt, my arms waving, my feet backpedaling in the rocky dirt.

It wasn't a clearing. In front of me was a _cliff, _a sheer face of rock that dropped to an unseeable floor hundreds of feet below.

Behind me were the woods filled with drooling bloodhounds and psycho Erasers with guns.

I wished I could stop the dream and ask myself, "Why would an eraser have a gun?" Unfortunately, my dream-self had a different idea.

I looked over the deadly drop. There was no choice, really. I closed my eyes… and let myself fall over the edge of the cliff.

I heard hysterical barking then the quiet sound of wind rushing through my hair. I let my arms fall out, savoring the peacefulness of it all.

I took a deep breath. I'd never done this before. I unfurled my wings, hard and fast, and was yanked up like a parachute. _Ouch!_ I thought. _Note to self: No sudden unfurling! _

They were beautiful, though. Thirteen feet across, my wings were tan with white streaks and brown speckles spread throughout. I pushed my wings down then up then down. I couldn't believe it. I was flying at last!

I laughed, surging upward to meet the Erasers. They looked like oversized Werewolves caught between the human and wolf stage. Their fangs glistened as their huge hand/paws grasped wicked-looking guns. _Not today you jerks! _I thought triumphantly as a red dot appeared on my tattered night gown.

I veered sharply to the west, towards the sun so it would shine in their hateful eyes.

_I'm not going to die today!_

I awoke panting. Newt, Thomas, and Total had agreed to stand guard while I caught a few hours of sleep. I wouldn't have agreed to it if Total hadn't volunteered with the boys. He knew it, too. I didn't trust them anymore than I trusted the Creators. That is to say, not at all.

Of course, I did need to sleep. If I didn't then I wouldn't have the energy to fight. In this world, it seemed as if you always needed the extra energy to fight.

I didn't think sleep would find me anymore, though. The dream still lingered in my mind, terrifyingly real. I could still see the Eraser's hairy paw, clutching the gun that would assuredly take my life.

The worst part was the fact that the Erasers probably existed in some form or another. I _could _chalk the wolf-like man up to a number of things (dementia ranking number one), but, knowing my luck, their actual existence was most probable. And, judging by my dream, if I'd met an Eraser before then it probably wasn't on good terms. I know that's a little out there, but, c'mon. My imagination can be twisted, but it's not _that _twisted. I'd never be able to single-handedly think up a creature so monstrous.

And… then there was Angel. I didn't know how she fit into the dream, really. Had I known her before? If my dream was a memory then it was a possibility. Whatever it was, the bottom line was simple: I didn't actually know.

"What's wrong, sleepyhead?" Total murmured. I smacked his furry butt as hard as I could without causing a scene.

"Bad dog," I said. A dark look glinted in his eyes, and I mentally groaned. I'd definitely be hearing about this later. He was probably the only prissy dog I'd ever meet. Especially when you called him a _dog_! I was just naming his species for goodness sake!

"Glad to see everyone's awake!" I heard Thomas call, probably directing a very pointed look at me. Whatever. "If we're going to get to the other side of the mountain in three days we need to get moving. Jorge, can you show us the easy way out of the town?"

"Ok," he said, pausing in thought. He looked like he was about to continue when Angel ran up to me, her eyes wide with fear.

"There's a bunch of people outside!"

"Wha- Oh, Insert Choice Word Here!" Jorge cursed.

"There is a six year old in here!" I reprimanded him.

He just gave me a dirty look and snapped, "Get in the tunnels! Now!"

Why? I asked silently. I'd rather die than follow Jorge into any type of tight, closed-in tunnel where he could do who knew what to us... Angel clutched my hand tensely, as if terrified. I patted her head, trying to soothe her fear. We'd be safer up here, away from Jorge.

_There are people out there that want to hurt us, _something whispered in my head, making it feel cottony. _We need to follow Jorge. He'll keep us safe for right now. _

"Max, what're you doing? We can't follow that psycho!" Total hissed at me, nipping my ankles. I hadn't even realized that I'd started to follow the Gladers that were naively shuffling after Jorge.

"There are people out there that want to hurt us. We need to follow Jorge. He'll keep us safe for right now," I replied dully, shaking Total away from me. The need to follow Jorge to his tunnels was almost overpowering.

I dimly heard the two vagrants whispering to each other from behind me, but I didn't pay them much mind. "Angel!" Total said, mumbling something under his breath.

"Yes Total?" she asked innocently.

"Did you…"

"Maybe…"

"Remember…"

"Nope… Well, yeah. She doesn't."

"She's going to kill you."

"Nah, she probably won't remember."

"For your sake, I hope she doesn't."

Then they fell silent as we descended into a hole that wasn't in the wall before. It must've been some sort of secret passage. Jorge stood at it, watching everyone file through. I shuddered on the inside. His black eyes glittered cruelly in the light.

We were the last ones, so Jorge sealed the entryway after us. It was completely dark for a moment before Jorge lit a match. It shone like a beacon as he stuck it against a torch-thingy.

"Brenda, we're splitting up. Take the girls and those three." I didn't see who he was pointing to. Brenda took the torch from Jorge after he lit another torch for himself.

"C'mon," she said, motioning to Angel, Thomas, Newt, Alby and me. Total huffed, offended that he was beneath mention.

I really hated the tunnel. It made my skin crawl worse than the blackness of the flat trans. That was probably because you could actually see how close the walls were. It was too close. If we needed to do a quick escape, I wouldn't be able to fly.

"Crap," Brenda muttered softly as we turned down an adjoining tunnel. "Move quickly and quietly."

I listened and heard the strangest sound. It was the sound of a dozen, maybe more, people limping. They moaned lowly, as if in extreme pain, and I wondered why we were avoiding them.

"The Cranks are getting closer," Thomas muttered to Brenda. She nodded, lips pressed tight. A tiny blossom of fear began budding inside of me. What on Earth was a Crank?

Suddenly, I was shoved into a nearly invisible crevice by Brenda. I almost punched her, but she was cramming herself in after me. There was no room to punch her.

Panic flooded my body. Where was Angel, Total? Even Thomas, Alby, and Newt's whereabouts seemed slightly important.

I watched as a dozen extremely deformed bodies filed past us. Sores and blisters covered much of their skin. A few were missing essential limbs like arms or a legs. One was dragging itself along, no more than a torso. I shuddered, thinking of zombies. It seemed a fate I would never want to share.

A small sneeze had me gasping. The Cranks turned towards the source and went into a frenzy. They were attempting to get into the crack, but couldn't because they lacked dexterity. I flinched, hoping it wasn't Angel's crack. A scream cut through the air and my heart jumped into my throat….

**Cliffie! OOO Review! ;)**


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